Uncontrolled
by SilentStar-009
Summary: A blast from the past when four infants show up after a battle and Serena and Darien can't keep their hands off one another despite the fact that they hate each other.......SD MK AZ LN RJ
1. Chapter 1

AN: Yeah, I decided to start another story and yes, I'm still doing Protected, but I'm suffering from one of my cursed writers block, I have almost all of chapter three finished, but the end is getting me frustrated and I have to find my Sailor Moon DVD to see how it goes and all, but this story line just has to be written and I have to write it so.......................I'm saying this one and only once. Ya'll know the drill, the characters do not belong to me, yada yada yada, so please don't sue and all............ ENJOY!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"It's almost time boys." A soothing, low voice echoed throughout the black room swirling with colors.  
  
"How are we going?" A man with ice blue eyes and greenish white hair spoke up. The tall, slender figure who had spoken first gave a small smile that barely tugged at the corner of her lips.  
  
"I cannot tell you Lord Kunzite, for you would not approve." She said in almost a mocking voice. Kunzite straitened his tall, muscular body and eyed the Guardian of Time thoughtfully.  
  
"We would not approve? How so?" Asked another man with short blonde hair and blue eyes.  
  
"I cannot tell you." Was all she said. There was a sigh from her left. Her eyes shifted slightly to the other two figures that stood in the shadows.  
  
"How much longer?" One of them asked anxiously stepping out into the dim light reveling deep blue eyes and long shiny brown hair.  
  
"Soon Nephrite. Soon." She promised in her most soothing voice. She knew that they all suppressed their frustration at her words, but she stood tall, unfazed by all four of them.  
  
"Will they know us when we arrive?" The last figure to speak stepped out of the shadows as well, his green eyes a little wary, but excited at the same time. He fingered a wavy strand of his light brown hair, twisting it around his slender finger.  
  
There was a long silence, and then she finally spoke. "Yes." She said in a vague tone and turned back to the swirling colors waiting for the right one to appear. She saw it in the far distance and raised her rod. The four men huddled together. She gave them a rare smile and the light caught a hold of her rod. She aimed the time magic at them and in a flash of green light, they were taken away. She lowered her rod slowly, frowning a little.  
  
"Did they go?" A soft velvety voice asked. Sailor Pluto, the guardian of the time gate turned to the sound and gave one nod.  
  
"Yes Queen Serenity, they have gone." She said. The spirit Queen nodded.  
  
"Good."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena didn't know what Darien's problem was. Every time he saw her he began the mindless teasing, sending her into a tissy. The dumb jerk, calling me Meatball head. She almost growled as she rounded another corner, on her way to the temple. And why did I decide to help Raye with her temple chores? She groaned miserably. Because she had no life that's why! School was out for the summer and she had nothing to do but help Raye with her chores. Lita had one of her karate classes she just HAD to go to, Ami was studying for summer school, and Mina was out shopping without her! When she arrived at the temple, she gazed up the gazillion stairs. Why don't they put in an elevator or something? I mean, ALL these steps are killers! She hiked up them anyway, grumbling about having buff calves when she was done getting up them. Breathless, she collapsed on her knees dramatically.  
  
"Finally." She heard Raye's annoyed voice. Serena looked up at her friend in a pleading manner.  
  
"Water!" She panted. Raye rolled her eyes and went to get her some water.  
  
"Where were you?" Raye asked, extending a helping hand to her overdramatic friend as soon as she chugged down the glass she handed her. She saw Serena's face fill with rage and Raye knew in an instant what kept her. She braced her self.  
  
"That devil spawned jerk that's what! I was just innocently talking to Andrew and he had the nerve to pull one of my ponytails! That had the audacity to tell me that I had SPLIT ENDS!" Serena howled. "I never have split ends Raye! And I told him so! And then he tweaked one of my buns."  
  
"Which ones?" Raye asked with a wink. Serena stared open mouth at her friend.  
  
"RAYE!" She shrieked, aghast that Raye would ever tease her about something like that! Raye chuckled and said a quick apology and told her to continue. Serena did so in a rush.  
  
"Then he started another insult duel. By the time I finished with that, it was already getting dark." She finished in a pout.  
  
Raye sighed and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Alright, that's a valid excuse. Come on." She said and pulled Serena to a supply cabinet and gave her a broom.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
After two torturous hours of sweeping the gazillion stairs at the shrine, Serena sulked home. Why is it so quiet? Where are all the yomens at? Where was Zoicite at? Not that she wanted to get into another battle, but things were suspiciously quiet. Luna was on special alert tonight. Unconsciously, she walked to the city park. She blinked. Oops, I didn't mean to go here. But after looking around the vacant park, she decided to stay a little. Besides, a little alone time couldn't hurt her. She wandered to the swings and dropped her book bag in the sand. What was up with her? She asked herself as she sat in a rubber seat, grasping the cold chains of the swing. Why was she in this pathetic mood? This was so unlike her........maybe I'm starting to get boring. She thought horrified....................  
  
Naw, she relaxed a bit. She would always be interesting, she thought in almost a gloat. Maybe she was just tired. After all, she just did manual work and drowsiness was a common side affect to sweeping a gajillion steps. She looked up at dark sky. The moon was bright tonight, she thought absently and closed her eyes. The moon always soothed her when she was having one of her depressing bouts. Suddenly, she felt another presence beside her and her eyes snapped open. She stared at a strong chest, a familiar chest that she constantly ran into. A chest belonging to an annoying jerk that just ruined her quiet time. She scowled.  
  
"Hey Meatball head, like what you see? I work out pretty regularly. Go ahead, feel the strong pecs on me." He purred seductively, she ALMOST did what he said. Uhhhh, how can he do this to me? She clenched her fists together. Why do I always have to run into him? How can he make me blush? The jerk!  
  
"What do you want Chiba?" She grounded out through clenched teeth, her eyes jerking to his face. A very handsome face, with beautiful dark blue eyes.........WHAT? What did I just think? Her expression turned appalled for a second, but she hid it quickly. Jeeze, I MUST be tired, thinking of Darien that way, I need a long nap............  
  
He shrugged his broad shoulders, sending Serena's mind spiraling into another bout of confusion. What was wrong with her! STOP! She scolded her self firmly. "Just thought I'd say hi. We don't talk much." He said and sat in the swing next to her.  
  
"We don't talk?" She asked a bit miffed. "We talk everyday!"  
  
"No we argue every day." He told her like he was speaking to a child.  
  
"Go away. I'm in no mood for you and your delightful antics Devil Spawn." Serena bit out and folded her arms in front of her, glaring at the sand.  
  
"Delightful are they?" He mocked. Serena gritted her teeth to keep herself from lashing out at him. She was silent, refusing to speak to him. "Ahh, the silent treatment is it?" He drawled in a sigh. "It really doesn't work for you. It's just so unnatural that your mouth is closed for so long." Every word he said only fueled her anger more. She clenched her fists. "You know Serena I.........." She didn't let him finish his remark. With a growl, she jumped on him, knocking him backward in the swing. He hit the sand hard with a loud 'oomf'. Her hands wanted to ring his neck.  
  
At first, she saw surprise in his eyes, but it quickly turned to amusement as he grabbed her arms to keep them from his neck. He rolled her in the sand until he was on top. Serena wrapped a leg around his waist and rolled him back, until she was on top. They wrestled together, neither side bowing in defeat. Panting hard, trying to gain more ground to his neck, Serena didn't hear the frantic beeping from her bag.  
  
Darien laughed and rolled her again, on top of her. He felt her strength give a little and he managed to pin one of her hands into the sand. She let out a cry of outrage, bucking her body to get him off of her. Unbeknown to her that the movement made his eyes darken with a sudden attack of desire. He held her down, suddenly aware that her blue skirt had hiked up her thighs, giving him a glimpse of her pink underwear. Shit! What was she doing to him? She wiggled again, and he bit back a tortured groan. After more wrestling, he managed to pin both her hand in the sand.  
  
Serena blinked in surprise as he hovered over her with a triumphant grin. Her chest rose and fell with her labored breathing. She struggled again, but it was in vain. Ahhhh, damn this annoying man! She wanted to kick her legs in rage.  
  
Darien looked down at her dirt smudged face and livid blue eyes. Small grains of sand were on her cheek. She looked an absolute mess. But absolutely cute. Before he knew it, he leaned down and took her lips with a heated kiss. He heard her gasp out, and still, but soon, he felt her kiss him back. Her mouth opened and he slipped his tongue in her moist mouth. Her tongue met his own with skilled movements that surprised him. So Serena isn't as innocent as she looks.  
  
All logical thoughts escaped her mind as she kissed her enemy. He tasted like spices, she thought and felt heat pool into her stomach. But an annoying beeping sound made a little of her senses come back. The faint beeping grew louder as she gradually came back down to Earth.  
  
"Sailor Moon! HELLO! Anyone there? SERENA! Get your damn communicator!" She recognized Raye's sharp voice. "SAILOR MOON!" She screamed. Serena let out a little cry of shock and broke away from her kiss. She pushed Darien off of her and scrambled away. Oh god oh god oh god, he didn't hear her call me Sailor Moon did he? She picked herself up and dashed to her bag where Raye continued to scream at her. "SAILOR MOOOOOOOOON!" She put a hand over the speaker, trying to quiet Raye's demands for her to pick up her communicator. Suddenly, a hand shot out of nowhere and snatched her pick communicator away from her. "SERENA-----OH---- DARIEN!" She heard Raye screech in surprise.  
  
"Give it back Darien!" Serena made a mad dash for it but he jerked away and looked at Sailor Mars's image.  
  
"Raye?" He asked incredulously staring at Serena's raven haired friend. Serena grabbed his arm and tricky hands snatched her communicator back. She grabbed her bag and dashed off.  
  
"Where?" Serena asked Raye. Damn, oh DAMN! Why me? She hollered to herself.  
  
"Park, where else do they come?" Raye growled, and then winced. "We're in deep trouble now aren't we?" She asked. Serena looked over her shoulder to see Darien right in her tail.  
  
"Yes. He's following me!" She hissed and sped up.  
  
"Transform, then run like hell! Gotta go, Jupiter needs help. Mars out."  
  
Damn, damn, damn, he still right behind me. Gods, what have I done? I kissed my mortal enemy and now he knows I'm Sailor Moon. Could this day get any worse? She looked back again, and saw that she had just enough time to transform. With Sailor Moon's ability, she managed to shake him off. She looked back again. Her eyes widened as she saw Darien in the midst of transforming into Tuxedo Mask. This can't be happening! Her step faltered. She watched in horror as he caught up with her. Soon, she was jerked into his arms and sailing across buildings.  
  
"Gods, this can't be real." She moaned, tightly closing her eyes and willing herself to wake up from her dreams. He said nothing and she was glad. They reached the battle place just as Mercury and Venus were recovering from getting hit. Tuxedo Mask sent one of his roses flying and he pushed her forward when the monster halted. With a quick toss of her tiara, the monster was dusted in no time. She freed her arm from Tuxedo Mask's death grip and bolted away from his to the safety of her friends.  
  
"Are you guys alright?" she asked. She and Mars shared a look.  
  
"Hey what's going on?" Jupiter looked all around them. Serena noticed that everything was turning green for a reason. She looked up at the sky and saw the brilliant moon flash green. Two beams shot down and one aimed right for her. Serena stood still, unable to move. Her muscles felt heavy for some reason. The green beam hit her stomach and knocked her back. The air rushed out of her lungs. It didn't hurt really, but she moaned anyway. She landed on the cold cement sidewalk with a loud thump. Faintly, she heard the scouts cry out in concern and she felt them rushing to her side.  
  
*Gods, is she hurt? Please Serena, be alright* She heard Raye.  
  
*What the hell was that?* Lita asked.  
  
*What is she suffered massive brain damage? Gods, Serena, please be okay*  
  
*Oh no oh no oh no* Mina chanted.  
  
"Jeeze, I'm fine." Serena grumbled and smacked away their fussy hands. "And no, Mercury, I don't think I suffered any massive brain damage." She shot her friend a glare.  
  
*Could have fooled me.* She heard Darien mutter. Serena stood up.  
  
"Shut up prick! I don't need your teasing right now." She snapped, rubbing her stomach.  
  
She saw the scouts exchange glances. "Who's a prick?" Venus asked.  
  
* Didn't they hear what he said? Dumb Darien, thinks he's all that just because he's Tuxedo Mask. Man! Why did this all have to happen today?* Serena winced.  
  
"Darien is Tuxedo Mask?" The girls, minus Mars cried out looking at the dark figure rubbing his stomach as well.  
  
Serena stopped rubbing her stomach. "Hey, I didn't say that out loud." What the.......  
  
"But we heard you." Jupiter spoke out with a confused look on her face.  
  
Serena blinked in confusion. *Could they read my mind or something?* There were gasps.  
  
"I did just now! I read your mind!" Venus cried out, her blue eyes glittering with excitement.  
  
*How the hell did that happen?* Darien growled.  
  
"How am I to know Prick?" Serena cried out to him in frustration.  
  
"Er, Serena, Darien didn't say anything." Mercury murmured and pulled her little computer out of her subspace pocket.  
  
"He said it in my mind." The jerk. Didn't the others hear him?  
  
*Apparently not meatball head. You're the only one that can hear my sultry voice.* He purred in her thoughts. She sent him a glare.  
  
*Shut up Devil spawn, and quit talking to me.*  
  
"Humm, strange, it seems were all linked telepathically for some reason." Mercury muttered.  
  
*Duh Ami* Mina rolled her eyes. Mercury sent her a glare.  
  
*I was just making sure Mina.* She replied in an annoyed huff.  
  
"But how come Serena is linked to Darien and we're not?" Raye asked, eyeing the pair who were glaring at one another.  
  
This never would have happened if I hadn't kissed him. Damn distractions. Why did he have to be MY bloody distraction? Serena sighed.  
  
"You kissed him?" The girls cried out. Serena lost her frown and blushed.  
  
"That's none of your business! Stay out of my mind!" She cried out and put her hands to her head, trying to block their probing. Nosey Scouts.  
  
"It was a good kiss." Darien said with a smirk. Serena fumed.  
  
"It was a mistake Prick, it won't happen again." She snapped and flipped one of her pony tails behind her back. The nerve of the guy, always talking about himself like he was god of all or something. He's so conceited.  
  
"I can't believe you kissed him!" Lita cried out.  
  
*How was it?* Mina sneaked in. Serena blushed even more.  
  
"I said it was a mistake you two, get over it." She replied stubbornly. Like I would ever give them details.  
  
"So that's why you were so late." Ami got in on it too. Et tu Ami?  
  
Serena wanted to scream. This all has to be a dream, please let this be a dream she prayed.  
  
*Its pretty real meatball head. Get use to it.* Darien snickered. She ignored him. What was with that light? Why did the moon turn green? Who got hit by the other beam? Was it the cause of all of this?  
  
Mercury scanned the area. Clouds over head hid the moon from them for a time. Serena watched as they parted and let the light shine through. It always looked magical to her ever since she was little.  
  
*Beautiful sight.* Darien murmured coming up beside her.  
  
*Yes, beautiful.* Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest. Her nerves came alive, and senses sharpened for an instant. It was because she was so close to him. She jerked her head to see him. She HAD to see him, she just had to. His scent, it was making her dizzy.  
  
*Just one touch* she reached up and touched his cheek. Electric currents shocked her, but she didn't pull back her fingers. What was happening to me? She wanted to kiss him so much, her lips were actually aching.  
  
*Just one* He whispered and their faces inched closer. Her warm breaths caressed his cheek. Her eyes were dark with lust. It hurt to want her so much, he had to have her now.  
  
*So much hunger* She thought drowsily and grabbed his head and kissed him with her new pent up hunger. Stars exploded behind her eyes when their lips met in a bruising kiss. Her hands hungrily roamed his body, feeling hard muscled through out his chest and around to his back. She wanted to touch all of him. To memorize his body. She HAD to, it hurt so much. So much need to feel, to be touched. Her grabbed one of her legs and wrapped it securely around his trim waist, anchoring her to him. She absently began grinding her hips into his. She felt his desire there, swelling for her. She rocked harder, wanting their clothes to disappear. She wanted him so bad. Their kisses were becoming more aggressive. So hot, she was so hot with desire, her head swam. She needed...................... needed him so much.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Red exploded around them in an instant. Mina's eyes widened. The aura around them was so red she never seen such a vibrant color before.  
  
"What are they doing?" Lita gaped at the two, locked in a very passionate kiss, hands going everywhere.  
  
"Ami, what's going on with these two?" Raye demanded. She and Lita went to pry them apart.  
  
There were beeping sounds, as Ami scanned them. "Their hormone level is off the charts!" She gasped. Their body temperatures were growing hotter by the moment.  
  
Raye and Lita teamed together and with all their might, wretched them apart. Serena struggled in Raye's arm.  
  
*So much need. Endy!* Her arms flailed out as she tried desperately to get a hold of him. Raye frowned. What was Endy? Did the others hear her? She looked at each on of them, but they didn't pay much attention to what she was thinking. They were more concerned for Serena and Darien. Lita had to trip and pin Darien to the ground. Raye could tell that she was having a hard time keeping him down. "Ami, what is it? What's wrong with them?" Raye demanded. Serena and Darien managed to get free, and were wrapped tightly together again. Damn that girl was strong. Raye halted Lita. What's the harm in letting them suck face for a while? She watched them closely, noticing that their touched were getting bolder by the minute.  
  
"I-I don't know, these readings are so jumpy." She typed furiously on her computer. They were shadowed again as another cloud passed in front of the moon. Raye watched their movements slow, and then still all of the sudden. They held their breaths as tension filled the surroundings.  
  
*What the.........* "Darien! Were you just kissing me?" Serena screeched and scrambled away from him. She sought protection behind Lita.  
  
"Hey, you were kissing me!" He protested.  
  
"I did not! You kissed me first!" She snapped back. Her lips were still on fire, and her body throbbed for his hands again.  
  
*My hands can fulfill you again Sweetheart* Darien drawled. Damn mind reading.  
  
*Oh really? And my breast will just fit right back into your hands right?*  
  
"What did he say?" Raye demanded, catching Serena's sharp reply to Darien.  
  
*Tell her Serena. Tell her how your body is still on fire. Tell her you want me to kiss you again* Darien taunted.  
  
*And, I'll tell her how bad you need a cold shower right now. I'll tell them that you want me to call out your name in ecstasy as you make my come. I'll tell them..........*  
  
"STOP!" Ami screeched. She didn't want to hear all the details about things like that. Her face was so hot right now with a blush she refused to look at her friends.  
  
"Jeeze Darien, I didn't know how much you lusted after Serena." Mina gave him a cheeky smile and a wink. He scowled. Lita just grinned and gave them both thumbs up.  
  
*Yeah, go ahead, use you mind link with your friends to your advantage.* He snickered. Serena stuck out her tongue at him, just as the clouds parted once more and moonlight streamed down on them again. The insatiable hunger to have him built up once more, stronger that before and she launched herself into his arms to keep her body from turning into a quivering mass of raw nerves. Their lips locked again.  
  
"It's the moonlight! Quick, take them inside before they strip each other bare in front of us." Ami said and she and the others, herded Serena and Darien into an old abounded shop off to the corner. As soon as they were out of the moonlight, they broke apart once more.  
  
"Damn you." Serena hissed at him, still cuddled in his arms. Darien pushed her away from him. She stumbled back and glared at him.  
  
"Damn you! You and your friends are doing something to me!" He accused.  
  
"Yeah, they're making us kiss!" Serena said sarcastically and touched her broach, to de-transform.  
  
Darien sucked in a harsh breath when she did. He caught a sight of her nude body and tried to blink away the image. Damn that girl! She knew what she was doing when she did that!  
  
"I did not!" Serena screeched in outrage. Her delicate face flushed.  
  
*I guess it's true that all guys think of is sex* She grumbled.  
  
"Close your eyes." Lita growled at him. "We need to de-transform as well."  
  
*Damn women.* He obediently turned around. There was another flash.  
  
"Okay you can look." Mina said happily. Darien found himself looking at Serena's batch of friends.  
  
"I should have known." He muttered and de-transformed as well. What a day!  
  
"You can think that again." Serena mumbled and sank down against the wall.  
  
"First things first. Serena, Darien, you can't go out into the moonlight for any reason." Ami said bluntly. "Every time you do, your hormones shoot up and that's why your having your......ah.....kissing bouts. I need to find out why this is happening to you. It's going to take sometime, but for now, you two need to stay apart." She said awkwardly. Done and done. Did Ami think she had to threaten her to stay out of the moonlight? She never wanted him touching her again!  
  
*Right Serena, like you can ever forget about me. I can still read your mind, and you still want me* Darien thought wickedly. Serena snorted even though she knew it was the truth.  
  
*And you forget dearest, that I can read you mind as well, and there is now way you can make me do any of those sexual positions you so clearly thought up. You still want me bad baby.* She shot at him cockily, folding her arms. All she heard was chuckling form him as a response and the scouts' gasp of the new information they just heard.  
  
"Do you know what that strange green light was?" Serena asked anxiously, ignoring the images Darien shot into her head. Horny jerk.  
  
Ami shook her head. "I couldn't really get any readings on it. Every time I did they would just get jumbled again." She said mournfully.  
  
"But those beams, they entered me and Darien. You saw that didn't you?" She looked around the room at her friends. They all bobbed their heads.  
  
"So what? We're supposed to stay here until the moonlight dies away?" Darien bit out, drumming his fingers on the wall. Why me? Of all the people to be fatally attracted to, they pick the meatball head?  
  
"Quit calling me that!" Serena yelled at him.  
  
"Quit reading my mind then." He sneered.  
  
"I didn't. It came to me crystal clear." He mumbled something under his breath that she couldn't hear, but she was sure it was something bad about her.  
  
They sat in silence, waiting for rays of sunlight to filter through the dawn sky. Serena's eyes drooped.  
  
"Go to sleep Serena. The sun won't come up for about an hour or so." Ami patted her friend on the shoulder.  
  
"Thanks Ames." She mumbled and her head drooped to her chest. Darien searched her mind, but all he got was silence. Ah, so the bond goes away when we sleep. This is good to know.  
  
"So Darien, why do you and Serena have sand in your hair?" Mina asked casually stretching out on a wooden crate against a bare wall.  
  
"We were wrestling earlier at the park." He muttered, not sure why he told them in the first place.  
  
"Who won?" Lita asked settling Serena's head comfortably on her shoulder.  
  
"I did of course." He scoffed.  
  
"What were you wrestling about?" Raye asked warily still standing up, with her arms folded. He shrugged and opened his mouth to give them an answer, but the surroundings turned green again. Ami immediately pulled out her computer and did scans on him and Serena, then around them.  
  
"What was that Ames?" Lita asked, standing up, letting Serena slump against the wall.  
  
"I don't know. I have something on my scanner. We should go check it out." Darien stood to go with them, but Ami halted him with her hand. "The moonlight is still out. You had better stay inside." She advised, and then she and the other girls ran out leaving him almost pouting in his place.  
  
Ami followed the computer's directions to a blinking spot on the screen. It led them to the park, near an old tree. Cautiously, she and the others approached it. There was a huge basket by it.  
  
*We better transform. It might be dangerous* Ami advised. The scouts nodded and transformed. Slowly, warily, they peered into the basket and gasped. There were four confused infants staring up at them in wonder. They all had matching blue outfits on with their names engraved clearly on each individual baby's shirt.  
  
JADEITE  
  
KUNZITE  
  
ZOICITE  
  
NEPHRITE  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Ami blinked. *Am I seeing this right?*  
  
*Who are they?* Mina asked anxiously, looking at each infant. Baby Jadeite had blonde hair like the Nagaverse generals, and he had blue eyes too. But they weren't cold and calculating, they were innocent. She swore she saw him grimace in a baby-like manner. Nephrite looked like the evil general too.  
  
"Zoicite is a boy?" Raye looked at the small infant dressed in blue.  
  
"What's going on here?" Lita frowned. They looked to be about five or sixth months old. Ami reached down, and cautiously picked up a folded up piece of paper stuffed between Kunzite and Jadeite. She read it out loud.  
  
"Dear Sailor Scouts, please take care of Prince Endymion's royal guards." She turned the paper around and shrugged. "There's no signature." She murmured. Raye's head shot up at the mention of Endymion.  
  
"Prince Endymion. Who is Prince Endymion?" Mina's confusion was evident in her voice.  
  
"Prince Endymion was Princess Serenity's lover and betrothed on the Moon Kingdom." A pert, female voice said. The scouts looked down to see Luna and Artemis at their feet.  
  
"This is strange. We don't even know who or where the prince is." Artemis murmured, standing up to peek into the basket. A faint memory tugged at his mind. Something about Mina and Kunzite.  
  
Luna on the other hand knew exactly what he was thinking. She was the only one who knew about the scouts past. She only remembered a few weeks ago and decided to keep silent about it. After all, she had to find the Princess first and then she could reveal all her knowledge. Queen Serenity gave her specific orders. "Where is Serena at?" She finally asked, noticing the blonde wasn't there. She saw the scouts exchange glances.  
  
"We have a lot to tell you Luna." Ami sighed. Raye and Lita picked up the basket and took the babies into the store.  
  
Prince Endymion. That sounded close to Endy. Raye frowned. Why wasn't Ami asking a billon questions? Maybe she was the only on who heard them. Surly they would hear the next time Serena called him Endy. She decided to keep quiet. After all, it was kinda fun to know something no one else knew.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena felt a stir in her body. A yearning that was coming in a fast way. Her eyes snapped open. Her blood came in at a rush, her breathes were pants of need. "Endy." She breathed. He was across from her. His eyes instantly opened at the sound of her voice. She was in the shadows, but a small strand of silver moonlight cut across her eyes.  
  
"Serenity."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
When the scouts entered the building, they saw Serena and Darien rolling in a stream of moonlight. Luna gasped.  
  
"Serena!"  
  
All they heard was the smacking of their kisses, and murmurs.  
  
"See what I mean?" Ami asked. She and Mina had to pry them apart. When they were out of the moonlight, Serena blinked away her lust filled eyes and scowled. She stood up and straightened her shirt and buttoned her pants back up. There goes my sleep.  
  
"Serena! What were you two doing?" Luna demanded, with her tail whipping back and forth, her claws were unsheathed and aimed at Darien's leg.  
  
"Nothing Luna, it wasn't our fault!" Serena protested. Darien was a little surprised that she was sticking up for him. Luna eyed him dangerously, and then lowered her paw.  
  
"Yes, I know. Ami told me about it. I was just a bit staggered." She said. Serena let into a shaky laugh then turned her eyes to the basket.  
  
"Babies!" She cried out and ran to them.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Baby Kunzite blinked up at the looming faces of the scouts.  
  
*Damn her! Pluto turned us into infants!* He growled.  
  
*Why would she do that?* Jadeite asked.  
  
*This has to be a mistake or something!* Nephrite kicked one of his little legs in frustration.  
  
*She did this on purpose!* Zoicite waved one on his fists in outrage.  
  
"Oh look how cute they are!" Then saw a young girl peer into the basket. She looked familiar.  
  
*It's Princess Serenity!* Kunzite gasped.  
  
*Yes, but she looks a bit different. She doesn't have her moon crescent symbol on her head.* Nephrite studied her.  
  
*And she looks a bit younger.* Zoicite observed.  
  
*Where is Prince Endymion?* Jadeite looked around for him.  
  
Serena reached in and picked up baby Jadeite. Jadeite squirmed in her hands. She settled him in her arms and smiled down. "He looks familiar." She murmured, staring intently at him. Jadeite wanted to say something, but his words came out in baby coos. "What is his name?" Serena asked. She looked at the scouts staring wide-eyed at her.  
  
"Jadeite." Mina exclaimed. He felt Serena stiffen. She won't drop me will she?  
  
"I knew there was something familiar." She exclaimed and held Jadeite out to study him. Her hands were under his armpits as she looked at him. "Why are they here? Like this?" She asked. Ami held out a piece of paper.  
  
"Someone sent them to us. They said they were Prince Endymion's guards and we needed to take care of them."  
  
"You don't know who sent them?" Darien stepped beside the other scouts.  
  
*Prince Endymion!* The infants thought in unison. They all laughed and kicked their feet out when they saw him. It had been so long since they had seen their prince, and now here he was! Alive and breathing!  
  
"You must have made an impression on them." Lita murmured.  
  
"Well, what are we going to do with them?" Raye asked.  
  
"The note says we have to care for them. They're scout business." Ami said logically.  
  
"But who are they going to stay with?" Lita asked. There was silence as the whole magnitude of the situation hit them. Mina finally spoke up.  
  
"I have a summer beach house. We could go there for a while, and then after that," She shrugged. "We can see then." It was great to have money. Mina thought a little smugly. Her parents wouldn't mind if she was gone for a week or four. They had hinted that they wanted so time alone to get to know one another again.  
  
"But I have summer school." Ami protested. They were going to study quantum physics tomorrow and she had read four chapters ahead. She would show that know-it-all Greg who the best was.  
  
"Yeah, and I have karate classes." Lita piped in. It took her forever to get a spot in that blasted class. And her teacher was cute too. Reminded her of her old boyfriend. The scouts watched as a dreamy expression settled on Lita's face. They rolled their eyes and turned back to Mina.  
  
"Well, there is a town close by. You can enroll there for your schooling and karate classes." Mina pointed out. Serena watched Ami and Lita exchange glances. The beach really sounded fun.  
  
"Alright." They sighed in unison.  
  
"I guess I can call my mom and tell them." Serna smiled down at baby Jadeite.  
  
"Yeah, and I need a break from all my chores. Grandpa will let me go." Raye beamed. After all agreeing to everything, they turned to Darien, silently standing off to the side.  
  
"You'll have to come with us." Ami said solemnly. Serena bit back a disappointed grunt. They could take care of the babies with out him. Why did he have to come?  
  
"Because he's part of us also." Lita said bluntly, reading her mind.  
  
*He'll get on my nerves." Serena replied back. Darien smiled lightly.  
  
*In that case Meatball head, I'll go. Just to keep you company.* He purred. The sound had her body vibrating and she suppressed a shiver.  
  
"Fine." She snapped and gave the baby to Lita.  
  
*Hey, that's my Lita!* Nephrite growled.  
  
*Calm down my friend.* Jadeite shot at him and smiled charmingly up at the Amazon beauty. *My my my, she IS well endowed.*  
  
Nephrite let out a screech of out rage. To the girls, it sounded like a cry of pain.  
  
"What!" Raye looked down and picked him up. Nephrite waved his hands in the air, wanting to hit Jadeite.  
  
*You damn cocky............*  
  
There was a laugh and they saw Kunzite and Zoicite giggling in the basket.  
  
*You think it's funny?* Nephrite shot at them.  
  
*Yeah*  
  
*Very*  
  
Nephrite let out another howl. The girls all peered down in Raye's arm with concerned expressions on their face.  
  
"Do you think they're hungry?" Serena asked.  
  
"I wonder when the last time they ate was." Lita murmured, shifting Jadeite to her other arm.  
  
"What kind of food do they eat?" Raye asked, trying to jiggle the crying baby to make him stop.  
  
"Well, they're supposed to drink breast milk until they are about nine to ten month's old." Ami went into her 'smart scout' role. She looked around sheepishly. "But I guess we can't since we're........."  
  
"All dried up." Mina giggled. The others laughed as well. Darien just scowled. Girl talk was weird.  
  
"We can get them formula." Ami said after the giggles subsided.  
  
"But there are a hundred different formulas out there. How do we know what one to give them?" Lita asked.  
  
"Uhhh......."  
  
"What if we just give them regular milk and then see what happens." Serena suggested. The scouts all looked at her in surprise.  
  
"Serena!" Raye cried out.  
  
"That is a great idea." Lita jumped in.  
  
Jeeze, I get good ideas once in a while. She thought with a grumble.  
  
*We know.* Mina said softly, and winked.  
  
*Once in a while* Darien piped in with a snicker. Serena shot him a glare.  
  
*Shut up Devil Spawn* She hissed. The scouts caught her remark and glared at him as well. Darien gulped and took a step back. You would think they had PMS, the way their moods changed.  
  
"You don't know how we're like when we have PMS." Serena said dangerously.  
  
"You want to find out?" Lita asked sweetly, with her hand shaking in his face.  
  
"Uhhh......not really."  
  
*Our Prince sure doesn't know how to keep quite does he?* Kunzite whispered to the others. Nephrite sniffed back his tears.  
  
*Nope. We need to grow up fast before the scouts decide to kill him.* He replied.  
  
*I'm hungry.* Jadeite confessed when his stomach growled. He started to whimper.  
  
*Ut oh." Lita said and braced herself for a huge cry.  
  
*Me too.* Kunzite started with the whimpering. Well, he couldn't help the rumbling in his stomach. How was he supposed to demand food when he couldn't talk yet?  
  
*I made a mess in my diaper!* Zoicite exclaimed. There were collective groans.  
  
*We didn't need to know that.* Nephrite replied dryly.  
  
"What time is it?" Ami asked looking down at her watch. "Almost four. There should be a convenient store open. We can get milk and bottles."  
  
"And diapers!" Serena took a step back from the basket. Baby Zoicite had a suspiciously guilty look on his face.  
  
"And clothes, powder, baby shampoo, shoes, toys.........." The girls cut off Mina.  
  
"Where are we going to get that stuff at this time of night? We need to get the essential, and then go to the beach house." Raye said then glared at Darien. "Turn around, I need to de-transform." She bit out with her arms folded. Darien heaved a sigh and obediently turned around. There was another bout of flashing.  
  
"Come on, my mom is going to kill me when she sees I'm not in my bed." Serena said and started walking out into the night.  
  
"Wait!" Luna cried out. Too late. As soon as she was out, she stopped abruptly.  
  
"Oh no!" Lita moaned. Endymion felt a tug of his siren's call. He pushed past the scouts and saw her bathed in moonlight. Just like the first time he saw her.  
  
~ ~*FLASHBACK*~ ~  
  
Prince Endymion had to get away. He needed air. Silently, he slipped out of his lovers embrace and dressed quickly. As he walked out of his room, he called to his guards.  
  
*Take that wench out of my bed.* He commanded. He felt them mentally nod in acknowledgment. The moon women were very welcoming he thought with a satisfied smile on his face as he rounded a dark corner.  
  
When he was outside, we went to the moon gardens he saw earlier. Plants and flowers always comforted him. He was impressed with the variety the Moon Garden possessed. Some of the flowers he had never saw made the place look exotic and unreal. Queen Serenity proudly beamed that her daughter, Princess Serenity planted all of them herself. Of course, he didn't believe it. After all she was a Princess and he doubted that the Princess would ever get her dainty little hands soiled. He met too many princesses too many times to make him think other wise. The weather on the moon was a lot cooler that on Earth.  
  
He looked up into the sky and saw his home looming above him like a sapphire lying in a velvet blanket dotted with stars. It really was beautiful he thought whimsically. A shuttering bush made him duck in response. Slowly, he looked through he branches and saw two people whispering among themselves. It was a man dresses loosely in a white and silver Moon guard uniform and a woman in an almost sheer robe. Her blonde head with silver highlights was bowed. When she looked up, he sucked in a breath. She looked like Queen Serenity. Curious to see who she was, he inched closer, until he was behind a white pillar with white vines snaking up it.  
  
"But why?" The Guard whispered anxiously.  
  
"You're getting too attached to me. You knew the rules when we began this tryst. You cannot go back on your word. You promised me." She murmured sternly.  
  
"I cannot help but fall in love with you Princess. You're everything I ever wanted in........" There was silence. So this was the Princess of the Moon Kingdom he looked at her thoughtfully. When he had arrived, Queen Serenity had apologized for her daughter's absence, saying she was on Venus visiting Princess Mina there. He didn't really care. All he was here for was business. He had a sneaking suspicion that his father had sent him here, hoping to marry the girl. He didn't know why the sudden haste to get married came from. Perhaps the King knew his time was coming near and wanted to secure a mate for his only son. Endymion frowned, he shouldn't think that way. Shaking away the thought he returned his attention back to the whispering pair.  
  
"Do not say it Lord Hayden. A promise is a promise. We won't meet secretly anymore." Endymion peered around the pillar and saw her lean in and kissed the heart broken Lord Hayden. Her crescent moon began to glow and the man broke away.  
  
"Don't........" But he was silence as the beam connected with his forehead.  
  
"Let your mind be at peace. You will not remember this." She whispered and then the beam was gone. Endymion bit his lip. She possesses so much power he felt it through his whole being. How can such a small girl have that much power? Did the Queen know what she was doing granting her daughter that authority? Princess Serenity looked cautiously at the blank face of Lord Hayden. He blinked a couple of times then his eyes widened. He straightened and bowed before he spoke.  
  
"Your highness! What are you doing out here? It's freezing!" He gasped. The princess smiled innocently. Endymion scowled. She sure used her appearance to her advantage. Even he was taken in by that innocent look for a moment.  
  
"I thought I heard something out here and my curiosity got the best of me. I do apologize for worrying you so." She said softly.  
  
"You had better get back inside." Lord Hayden said seriously. Serenity nodded.  
  
"I will." She promised. Lord Hayden eyed her for a moment, then nodded and left. Endymion held his breath, not wanting her to discover him spying.  
  
"I know you're there." Her soft voice had him whirling at her confrontation. She stood before him with her face close to his. Her breath caressed his cheek. She took a small step back as realization dawned on her. "Prince Endymion of Earth." She laughed softly. "I assume you're getting fresh air, no?" She asked in a husky voice.  
  
"Were you Princess?" He shot back in a purr, a lazy glint in his eyes. She raised a perfect eyebrow and he saw a faint glow of interest in her blue orbs.  
  
"Of course. The palace can get drafty and smothering at the same time." She said and a finger wiped something off of his check. He looked at her slim fingers and saw red lipstick. "Especially when you're in the company of a passionate someone." She murmured with her hidden meaning blunt in all her pretty words.  
  
"I would not think that the Moon Princess would know of such endeavors. Moon people pride purity and love above all things." He said smoothly, looking pointedly at her. She laughed.  
  
"I guess I am the black sheep of the Kingdom Prince Endymion." She said and turned away from him. He caught a whiff of her sweet perfume and his body quickened at the scent.  
  
"See you at breakfast Princess." He said in a low voice, trying to hide the hunger he knew was there. But she was no fool, and she turned to him, bathed in the moonlight her kingdom let off. Her robe slipped off of her bare shoulder and she smiled knowingly.  
  
"Not too early I hope." She said in a seductive tone and disappeared in the dark opening to the palace. Maybe this trip won't be wasted after all.........................  
  
~ ~*END FLASHBACK*~ ~  
  
And now here she was, looking at him in the same way, her body oozing with her potent sexuality. She smiled.  
  
A smile that could melt any defenses that he had.  
  
She always made him hungry, after all the times they had made-love, he always wanted more from her. He took long, determined strides and pulled her into his arms. She went willingly, melting into his embrace like liquid fire. When their lips met, he felt the familiar power surge. They were strong together. He felt his love seep from ever fiber of his being, and she radiated warmth and comfort. Her love always took his breath away, their devotion to one another was so strong, and no one would dare interfere with them. Her small body fit perfectly against his like puzzle pieces.  
  
*Serenity, tell me you'll never leave me. Tell me we'll always be together.* He mind linked with her and she moaned in response. Her arms tightened around his neck and she pressed her body closer to him.  
  
*I could never leave you my love. We'll always be together, till the end of time. I'll love you until eternity's light dims. Never leave me Endy. Never leave me.* She though ferociously and kissed him more forcefully, showing him how much he meant to her, even then it wasn't enough.  
  
Raye stood opened mouth as Serena's thought poured through her head. The others have to had heard that! She looked around. They had to have heard her call him Endy and profess her heart and soul to him.  
  
"I told them to stay out of the moonlight." Ami muttered shaking her head giving her an answer that she didn't hear them. None of them heard that?  
  
"You didn't hear her?" Raye asked them. They others looked at her like she had gone crazy.  
  
"What are you talking about Raye?" Lita asked her gently. Raye tightened her grip on baby Nephrite.  
  
*Hey, you getting a little rough Raye. Raye?* Nephrite winced as her nails cut into his tender baby skin.  
  
They didn't hear her? "Her thoughts, you didn't hear them?" She asked a little panicky. She was not going crazy.  
  
"We can't hear her thought when she's like this. Her mind is blank." Ami told her and then frowned when Raye's eyes widened.  
  
"What is she thinking?" Mina demanded, taking a step closer to her. Raye shook her head. She wanted to tell them, but something was keeping the words from her mouth. It was like an invisible force that made her tongue feel thick and heavy.  
  
"Raye?" Luna asked cautiously. What was going on? She was so white.  
  
"What did she say?" Lita demanded again. Raye shook her head uneasily.  
  
"I-I can't tell you." She said looking frightened.  
  
"Why?" Mina asked. Raye looked at the kissing two who had stopped and looked at her.  
  
*Do not tell Raye.* Serena's voice filled her head. Raye blinked. Her voice was different. It was mature and soothing and strangely familiar.  
  
*Will you tell me though?* She asked.  
  
*In time.* Was her reply, then Darien pulled her closer to him in a possessive manner. The scout caught THAT, and studied them.  
  
"We need to get to the store. Do you think you can handle yourselves?" Ami asked scanning them with her computer. There hormonal level was normal. Strange. Very strange. She looked up at the sky. Well it was almost dawn, so maybe they have more control over themselves when the moonlight isn't so strong. She made a promise to herself to study them later, after the babies were taking care of.  
  
"Of course." Darien replied and sent Serena a secretive smile. Luna caught on to it. A sinking suspicion had her looking at the couple closely. Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity shared the same looks and the same embrace once upon a time.  
  
*We made it here my love* He murmured. Serena smiled.  
  
*This time IS different. Raye, perhaps you can teach Endymion and I all about it?* Serena looked at her expectantly, and at that moment, Raye knew who she was talking too.  
  
She nodded obediently and cut off her link with the others. *Yes Princess Serenity*  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: Just sending thank you to all who reviewed me~~~~(Starting to give props)  
  
Sailor Princess---No I didn't give up in Past Princess's Passions, actually I spent today revising it and adding new chapters.........I'm not sure yet if I should post the new ones yet because I'm kinda stuck on one. What do you think? Love ya! Kisses and hugs!  
  
October Moon---love ya! Kisses!  
  
Water--- love ya too! Kisses!  
  
Msty768---love ya too! Kisses!  
  
Miss Night---love ya! Kisses!  
  
Wreath of Roses---Awww, that so sweet of you to say!*tear* I really appreciate the comment! It keeps my writing ego up and functioning! Thank you! Kisses and hugs!  
  
Comicqueen---love ya too! Kisses!  
  
Dancerboy009---(hey same numbers as me!*wink*)I would never dream of doing that! I'm glad you reviewed me. Kisses!  
  
Marni---Actually it did inspire parts in it! I simply love that story! I can't wait until she comes out with part three. She's such a great writer! Kisses and Hugs!  
  
DarkPixie---love ya! Kisses!  
  
JerzeeGurl---Always love to hear from you! Kisses!  
  
Shadinah---love ya too! Kisses!  
  
Foxy Kitsune---Glad you like my humor. *Grin* Love ya! Kisses!  
  
Usagi moon----love ya too! Kisses! 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
In the morning, Raye woke up and rubbed her eyes. She was sprawled in between Ami and Serena in Lita's room. There were soft snores all around her. Silently, she slipped out of her warm blankets and went to the bathroom. What a night it had been. Both Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion were a bit hard to handle. They were like honeymooners. Every time she explained something and then turned back to them, they were kissing. She and Lita had to pull them apart numerous times. She hated keeping something this big away from the others, but it was a direct order from the Moon Princess herself. Running the hot water, she slipped off her nightgown and stepped into the pelting water. She still didn't understand why the Princess's entity was in Serena. Why did she have to pick the meatball head? She or Ami would have been the logical choices. Shrugging off the thought she lifted her head to the water. Then when they got into the convenient store, Serena and Darien were bickering again. They all got the things for the babies and had a hell of a time putting them to sleep.  
  
Jadeite decided that SHE was to be his nanny for some reason. Every time Lita, Ami and Mina picked him up he bellowed and had their ear drums ringing. Only SHE could pick him up, only SHE could change his diaper, only SHE could feed him. And it was likewise with the other babies. It was like they paired off.  
  
Lita with Nephrite, Ami with Zoicite, And Mina with Kunzite.  
  
Only Serena and Darien could hold them with out them screaming their heads off. She stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. Quickly, she dressed and brushed her hair. When she entered the living room, Darien was already up and drinking his coffee and reading the paper. Ahh, the silence of the early morning. She always loved it.  
  
"Morning." She chirped. He simply lifted a brow and returned back to the newspaper he was reading. As soon as she sat down with her cereal a screech erupted and made her spill cold milk on her. The door banged open and the scouts, minus Serena stumbled out. They ran to the other room across from Lita's room. Obediently, cursing Jadeite for interrupting her breakfast, she went to join them.  
  
*Wow, pretty good scream you got there Kunzite* Jadeite told him, pretty impressed.  
  
*You sounded like a girl.* Zoicite snickered back at him between his sobs.  
  
*Hey, I only did it because I lost the bet. Next time it's your turn* He shot back. His throat really did hurt. They all heard the scouts stumble in.  
  
*I'm hungry! Gimme food!* Jadeite hollered, even though Raye couldn't understand him. He looked through his teary eyes and then let out another holler when he saw her.  
  
*Jeeze Jadeite, lower the cries! We're all hungry!* Nephrite snapped at him.  
  
*Hey, I'm using my baby cries as much as I need to* He replied and let out another howl.  
  
"Alright already!" He heard Raye snap. He smiled deep inside. Ahh. He loved her snipish voice. He looked into her blazing amethyst eyes and fell in love all over again.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
He and the others had been called by his Prince. They rounded another corner and entered the Throne room in no time. Queen Serenity sat atop her ivory chair. A dark haired woman and a white haired man stood on both sides of her. Prince Endymion regarded them in mute approve for their promptness.  
  
"Welcome Protectors of the Earth Prince." She greeted. Jadeite let his tension seep from his body. Something about her tone made him relax.  
  
"We are pleased to be here your Highness." Kunzite bowed and the other followed suit.  
  
"Prince Endymion speaks highly of you. An impressive feat, to be crowned princes yourself but guards the Prince as well. You're like my daughters protectors." She said with a smile. Jadeite had heard of the Sailor Scouts. Of course he scoffed at the idea of FEMALE warriors. Women were only good for warming a cold bed, cooking, cleaning and having babies. They were not meant to fight. How un-lady like. He and the others exchanged glances with a roll of their eyes.  
  
"We look forward to meeting them." Zoicite said smoothly. Jadeite saw the Queen give him a look that said 'oh really?' and nodded.  
  
"Good, they're to be here soon." No sooner did the words escape her mouth did the door swing open. They whirled around and stilled immediately.  
  
Four girls brightly dressed in short skirts and tight bodices entered. He immediately noticed Princess Serenity in the midst of them. Her eyes went to the Prince standing behind them. But then a snappish remark had him putting the look she gave Prince Endymion aside. His gaze met fiery amethyst eyes. A gasp caught in his throat as he looked at the exotic beauty. Her face was heart shaped with careless ebony bangs falling on her forehead. Her lips were perfectly pouty with red tints. His gazed lowered further to see her small pert breast against her tight bodice. It hugged her slender stomach and then her red skirt flared out, stopping short at her high thigh. Long, curvy legs were in a defensive stance. And at the end of her small feet, were sexy red high heels. His mouth had gone dry all of the sudden as his eyes traveled back up.  
  
"Have a nice look?" She sneered at him, crossing her arms in front of her. He shook himself out of his daze and graced her with a seductive smile that always melted hearts. It was quite a shock that the girl was unfazed. But it just proved that she would be no easy target, and he was always up for a challenge.  
  
"Actually I did." He smartly replied and grinned when her face flushed pink with the rise of anger. She really did look beautiful when she got angry.  
  
"Do not pay any attention to him Mars." A blonde said dressed in a similar orange outfit. She put her hand on Mars's shoulder to keep her from lunging at him. Not that he would have minded. His fingers were just itching to caress her supple skin. The blonde eyed them coolly, especially Kunzite. "They are nothing to us." She murmured, looking pointedly at the white haired general. Jadeite watched Kunzite's mouth tighten, but he saw a spark of interest in the other man's eyes. She and the others brushed past the guards and bowed when Princess Serenity took her place on her own throne.  
  
"We will meet later." Princess Serenity told her protectors with a def nod. They bowed one last time and made their exit. But not before Mars shot him a death glare. Jadeite gave her another smile and winked. She turned her head a way with a loud 'humph'. She was interesting to say the least. At first, he thought that this trip to the moon would be boring, but now that he met the spitfire Mars, he was looking forward to his extended stay here...............  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
She reached in and gently picked him up.  
  
"Uh, they need to be changed." Ami said and took Zoicite to the front room. Zoi was over her shoulder and gave the others a smile.  
  
*Yeah, I messed my diaper again.* He smirked.  
  
*Don't you think that messing your diaper would turn her off?* Nephrite asked. Kunzite and Jadeite readily agreed. They saw a frown mar his face.  
  
*That's something to think about* Was the last thing he told them before he was out of sight.  
  
Raye muttered something under her breath and grabbed a diaper from the bag. "Let's go in Lita's room shall we?" She asked absently.  
  
"Make sure you put something under them! I don't want pee on my mattress!" Lita called out to her. Jadeite frowned.  
  
*Hey, that only happened the first time she changed me. It was cold when she took my diaper off!* He protested.  
  
*Tell that to Lita's poor couch.* Nephrite replied. Jadeite's lower lip trembled.  
  
"None of that." Raye told his sharply and laid him on a changing pad. Jadeite sobered up immediately.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena stretched under the warm covers and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She stumbled out of the sheets and grabbed a towel lying across Lita's bed.  
  
"Don't take too long Meatball head. We have a lot of traveling to do." Raye said and tossed Jadeite's dirty diaper in a trash can. Serena mumbled something back to her still half asleep. She blindly made her way to Lita's bathroom and slammed the door closed. The water was already running and Serena shrugged. She striped off her pjs and slipped into the warm shower.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Lita cradled Nephrite in her arms as he sucked on his bottle happily. She went into her room just as Raye handed Jadeite his own bottle.  
  
"Where is Serena?" She asked looking at the pile of empty sheets on her floor.  
  
"She went to take a shower." Raye said with a dismissive flick of her hand. Ami came in with Zoicite perched on her hip.  
  
"Where is Darien?" She asked them.  
  
"He went to take a shower." Mina chirped happily, joining them. Raye and Lita looked at her in horror.  
  
"Do you have two bathrooms?" Raye squeaked out a dreadful thought entering her head.  
  
"No!" Lita hollered just as she heard two screams followed by a heavy thump come from her bathroom. The girls rushed to the bathroom and Lita kicked open the door. Steam invaded her seeing. Beyond the mist, a naked Serena and Darien were trapped under the plastic shower curtain kissing passionately. They could do nothing, but stand and watch the couple totally oblivious to the intruders.  
  
"Oh my gods!" Mina screeched. At that, the couple stopped and realization set in. Serena gasped and placed a hand on Darien's went chest to get off, but slipped instead. They struggled under the wet plastic curtain. Mina and handed Kunzite to Ami and ran to the rescue. Lita gave Nephrite to Raye and went to help. They managed to free the two. Serena was breathing hard, her face was red as she looked in shock at Darien sprawled in the tub.  
  
"Serena!" Ami hissed at her and Lita threw a towel over Darien's naked body.  
  
"What did you think you were doing Meatball head?!" He hollered at her.  
  
"Taking a shower! I didn't know you were in there!" She cried back and pulled her towel closer to her body. Imaged of Darien's kisses intruded her mind. Gods, what did she just do? Her face flamed more when she saw him eying her thoughtfully. Soon, steamy pictures entered her mind and she scrambled out of the crowded bathroom.  
  
* I'm not thinking in those things about him, I'm not, I'm not , I'm not!* She chanted over and over in her head, trying to erase them from her thoughts.  
  
"What were you thinking?" Raye demanded. Serena avoided the scouts probing eyes. Jeeze, what's wrong with her today? She should have asked who was in the shower before she went in. Now she had images in her head that refused to go away. Damn him, why did he have to kiss her until she went weak with desire? Why did he have to look so damn sexy under the water?  
  
*Why thank you Meatball head.* A lazy drawl entered her mind. With a low cry, she grabbed her bag and went in to the spare bedroom to get dressed. I can't believe this, why me? Embarrassed beyond all belief, she didn't come out of the room for fifteen minutes.  
  
Darien shooed the girls out of the bathroom and finished his shower. He looked at the corner of the bath tub, picturing Serena innocently entering. He was speechless as she stood before him. Then she looked up and paused, looking at him in blank surprise. She backed away, trying to make a hasty escape, but the soap suds from his shampoo made her slip forward. He had caught her slick body, and tripped as well. In all the confusion, he had grabbed the shower curtain to try to brake their fall, but with no such luck. Trapped under the clingy plastic, she wigged on top of him sending his hormones working overtime. It was like smoke invaded his mind and before he knew what he was doing he lifted his head and met her lips with a kiss. Things were getting pretty interesting until the scouts came in. He sighed and turned off the cold water.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The girls all looked up from their breakfast to Serena, wordless, coming from the room. She looked disturbed and they caught quick images of Darien in the tub here and there. They had enough sense to keep quiet. She gave them a shy smile and made herself some cereal. They ate breakfast in silence. Finally, Lita had enough and spoke up.  
  
"So when do you want to leave?" She asked. They exchanged looks.  
  
"I called my mom when I was dressing. Sammy already packed my clothes." She said dryly. "All I have to do is pick them up." She finished.  
  
"Yeah, my grandpa has everything ready for me too." Raye said.  
  
"I just need to pack and we're on our way." Mina piped in, spinning her spoon in her milk. Kunzite was perched on her knee, sipping his bottle.  
  
"How are we going to go? Mina only has one car." Ami pointed out.  
  
"I have a car." They saw Serena stiffen at Darien's voice. She became engrossed with her cereal when he walked up behind them.  
  
"How many will it hold?" Ami asked.  
  
"Four, myself included."  
  
"We can sit the babies on our lap." Lita suggested. Ami didn't like the idea of not having car seats, but they were strapped for time so she agreed.  
  
"I'll take Lita and Raye and Ami with me." Mina said. Serena dropped her spoon.  
  
"What about me?" she cried out.  
  
"You can ride with Darien." They all said in unison. Serena saw a flash of something in Mina's eyes.  
  
"B-but......." She couldn't ride with him! What the hell were they thinking? Were they trying to torture her or something?  
  
*I'm not that bad Meatball head.* Darien said, sounding a little hurt. Serena glared at him.  
  
*Yes you are." She shot back. He smiled charmingly.  
  
*Are you scared?* He purred evilly to her. Serena bristled.  
  
*Of course not!* She shot back.  
  
*Then what's the problem?* He asked. Serena fumed for a minute then made her decision.  
  
"Fine." She snapped.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
With the window open, Serena's blonde bangs billowed off of her face. She seemed fascinated with the landscape. In her harms, she held a sleeping Kunzite. He had tried probing her mind for anything, but all he got was blanks. He turned smoothly around the sharp corner and cursed Mina for driving like a maniac. Finally, two hours later, they parked in a two story beach house. Mina stepped out of the car and beamed proudly.  
  
"Welcome one welcome all to my summer escape." She said. Darien took off his sunglasses and looked at the pristine white house with approval. It was a great place with a wonderful view of the ocean. Serena struggled out of the car and joined her friends.  
  
"Well let's get unloaded and settled." Lita said, snapping to business.  
  
Inside, the walls were pained a light amber color. Expensive couches and chairs dotted the blonde wooden floors. There was a huge plasma television in the center of a huge entertainment system. The kitchen was painted light blue and had matching marble counters. There were three bedrooms each one complete with a canopy bed and bay window.  
  
"Looks like we need to go shopping." Lita observed when she saw that the refrigerator and cupboards were empty.  
  
"This is a nice place Mina." Luna said. Everyone turned around.  
  
"How did you get here?" Serena demanded, eying Luna and Artemis who were looking rather guilty.  
  
"We hid in Darien's trunk." Artemis spoke up. Luna sent him a glare, the turned back to the girls.  
  
"What? You expected me to stay at home when Serena and Darien are the way they are? I have to watch over my charge as well as you girls." She said smugly with a pert smile on her face.  
  
"And I didn't want to stay home either. Your parents forget to feed me." Artemis said in a whimper. Mina looked sympathetically at her guardian.  
  
"Poor Artemis." She cooed and petted him on his back.  
  
"So ANYWAY," Raye spoke up. "What room are we going to stay in?"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena and Darien were elected to stay home with the babies. Serena grumbled about how unfair it was that she had to stay with the Prick, but the girls ignored her. She slumped down on the couch and turned on the TV, bent on ignoring Darien until the girls came back.  
  
*What's wrong with these two?* Jadeite asked the others, trying not to be distracted by the flashing lights of his play phone.  
  
*Yeah, there usually all over each other by now.* Nephrite said chewing on a soft plastic toy. His gums were hurting. Zoicite had said they were growing new teeth. He was trying his hardest not to cry, but being a baby and having little control over his emotions, it was rather difficult.  
  
*Why did Mina pick this outfit for me? I look like stupid!" Kunzite growled, his little hands pulling at the collar of his blue and white checkered shirt.  
  
*Aww, you look adorable.* Zoicite said and put a wooden block in his mouth.  
  
*Shut up!* Kunzite hollered at them with a little cry.  
  
Serena looked at Kunzite, glaring at the others. "What's the matter? Are they being mean to you?" She asked picking him up. Kunzites winter blue eyes looked at her with tears gathering.  
  
*Take this shirt off of me!* He cried. Serena leaned over and rummaged through the big diaper bag and produced a pacifier. She handed it to him and his face lightened.  
  
*Ooo, a sucking thing!*  
  
"That shirt looks horrible on him." Darien spoke up from his place on the other end of the couch. Serena eyed the shirt and had to agree with him.  
  
*Thank you Prince, you always understood me.* Kunzite said when Serena took the ghastly shirt off of him. She placed him back on the floor with the others.  
  
*Ahh, freedom.*  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Later that night after eating a delicious dinner Lita prepared for them, Serena was in her room looking longingly outside. Foaming waves lapped onto the wet sand. She closed her eyed and imagined herself dipping her feet into the cool water, and feeling the sand between her toes. She was very tempted to just forget about the moonlight and go for it, but the more logical side of her had her staying in. She wasn't ready to get into another kissing bout with Darien. The incident that happened this morning was still fresh in her mind. She had a sinking suspicion that if she ever did kiss Darien again she wouldn't be mad about it. She actually liked the kisses he gave her, and it scared her. With a sigh, she buried her face in her arms. But she hated being cooped up in here, with out smelling the fresh ocean air. She was like a caged bird.  
  
Darien was sent to get Serena and ask if she wanted to play a board game with them. He looked at her sitting on the small couch next to the bay window. He read the longing in her eyes to go out there. Looking outside, he saw a million stars dotting the black night sky. The moon was full that night and he winced. He wanted to go outside as well. Nighttime always brought comfort to him. Slowly, he walked up beside her and touched her shoulder. She jumped a little.  
  
"Jeeze, Darien, you scared me." She breathed and then looked away.  
  
"Do you really want to go outside?" He asked gently. She sucked in a breath then let it out in a defeated sigh.  
  
"Yes." She said softly, and then glanced up. "Do you want to?" She asked cautiously. Darien looked behind him, making sure Luna or Artemis wasn't there.  
  
"I do." He said. Serena stood up.  
  
"Even if we........"  
  
"It's not that bad." He muttered. Serena regarded him thoughtfully.  
  
"Then let's go." She finally said and turned to the window. She lifted the latch to it, and the glass swung open. Fresh air greeted her. She looked at the ground and saw the moonlight on the sand. She hesitated, and looked back at Darien for assurance. He nodded his head forward, and then looked hungrily at the water. As soon as her toes hit the moonlight, she felt her whole body awaken again. All of her sane, functional thoughts fled her mind. She felt Darien's strong arms wrap around her waist and help her out of the window.  
  
"I always loved the beach Endy." She heard herself say, giving Darien a saucy smile. He smiled charmingly down at her.  
  
"I know my Sweet," He stepped out of the window as well and linked his hands with her before he pulled her to him. She went willingly and tiled her head up, meeting his lazy eyes with her own. "Too bad we have our clothes on." He whispered to her and kissed her lips.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Raye looked up from her play money when she heard Serenity's thoughts enter her mind. She looked worriedly at the door. She had to stop them before they did anything drastic. She leapt from her place and ran to the door. Serena and Darien were under the moonlight, kissing. Again.  
  
"How did they get out?" Lita demanded, coming up behind her and looking over her shoulder.  
  
"Well, we didn't exactly make sure........" Ami was cut off by Mina.  
  
"Their aurora is turning red." She told them. Ami took out her computer and scanned them. She bit her lip when she read the readings. Oh, no, this was not good.  
  
"What is it Ami?" Raye asked her pale friend. Ami looked frantically up from her computer.  
  
"Their body heat is raging out of control. If they don't act on their sexual tension, they could die!" She told them urgently. The scouts looked at the couple, horrified and ran out of the house.  
  
"What can we do?" Mina asked. Ami shook her head, unable to give her an answer. Lita and Raye gained closer ground to the couple. Ami's computer began to beep rapidly as Raye and Lita ran closer to them.  
  
"Wait!" She screamed, but it was too late. A brilliant flash of virgin white light knocked them back. The two girls flew back and landed in the damp sand. Ami and Mina ran to the groaning pair.  
  
"What happened?" Mina cried out cradling Lita's head. Ami looked at Serena and Darien, with wide eyes.  
  
"There is so much power." Ami whispered in a disbelieving tone looking at the reading on the small screen. There was like a barrier there shielding them from everything.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena felt so hot, there was a sheen of sweat on her skin. Her body throbbed painfully against Darien's own hot body. This was madness! Nothing she could do, no matter where she touched him could ever sate her hunger. She was so weak with desire right now that she couldn't believe she was still standing. Her pulse was so fervent, she actually heard her heart beat roaring in her ears. It was never like this before.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Raye desperately tried to read Princess Serenity's mind, but nothing came to her. She suppressed a frustrated growl. On unsteady feet, she stood up. Her legs wobbled for a minute, and her head hurt like hell, but she had to stop them. Despite her loyalty to the Princess, Serena was still her friend. And she was still innocent. She couldn't leave her like this could she? And what if they did have sex right here on the sand? How could she face her when she woke up from her trance the Princess pushed her in? And with Darien for that matter. She had to protect Meatball heads virtue. Raye scowled, she owned me big for this one, was her final thought before she started running to them. The scouts all let out appalled gasps. She sprinted to them, ignoring her pounding head ach and protesting muscles.  
  
Ami and the others took off after her.  
  
*Maybe Raye hit her head harder than we thought!* Mina thought to the others.  
  
But silently, they were all thinking the same things Raye was. Serena was still their friend, and they couldn't just let her have sex with Darien. She was only sixteen! And they hated each other. Just think about what would happen when they woke up the next morning, naked after doing something that they never would have imagined themselves doing with one another. There would be no end to it all! The madness would continue! Arggg! Pushing their hysterical thoughts aside, the other girls closed their eyes and came in direct contact with the hurtful shield. They pushed themselves to stand strong. Their hands passed through the shield. Their fingers brushed against Serena. With all their might, they managed to knock her away from Darien's embrace. Raye, using her quick mind, and steel fists, hit Serena in the back of her head and Serena's eyes rolled back and she passed out.  
  
Endymion felt his rage build. His eyes darkened with anger, and his hands clenched together. Mars hit her Princess!  
  
Ami and Lita tackled Darien to the ground, catching the cold hard anger in his eyes. He violently struggled under them and Mina fanatically looked from Raye to Ami and Lita. Deciding that Ami and Lita needed more help, she lifted her sharp elbow and then jumped on Darien's stomach. His eyes bulged out when the wind was knocked out of him and the last thing he saw was Lita's fist coming at his face.  
  
The scouts were breathing hard and Mina and Ami collapsed against each other. Lita shook her hand, trying to shake away the pain in her knuckles. He sure had a hard face the thought and stood up.  
  
"You punched the Prince!" Raye screamed, aghast when she saw a purple bruise start to appear on Darien's right eye. Oh lord, they were going to pay big time!  
  
"Prince?" Lita asked her. "Raye, are you sure that you didn't hit your head or something?" She asked eyeing Raye who was looking down at Darien like her life was about to end.  
  
"Oh gods! And I just hit the Princess!" She said, ignoring Lita. She put a hand to her throat. "They're going to behead us! They're going to throw is in the dungeon!"  
  
The other girls exchanged looks. "What are you talking about Raye?" Mina asked. But Raye just shook her head, lost in all her turbulent thoughts of her untimely death. Lita had enough, and slapped Raye across the cheek to wake her. Raye blinked a couple of times then howled as she put a hand to her red cheek.  
  
"Lita! You just slapped me!" She accused incredulously.  
  
"Well you were talking nonsense! How was I supposed to get you to snap out of it?" Lita asked in a huff. She grimaced, great, now her other hand hurt too. The things I do for my friends!  
  
"What nonsense?!" Raye cried, rubbing her cheek, while glaring at her friends.  
  
"Something about the Princess and a Prince going to behead us or something." Ami supplied, watching the exchange in mute amusement. Raye's eyes widened again.  
  
"Right the Princess! She's going to be soooooooo mad I hit her!" She said. The other girls rolled their eyes heavenward, thinking that Raye indeed, hit her head harder that they originally thought. "You don't understand! The Moon Princess's entity-spirit-- whatever you call in is in Serena. Every time the moonlight hits them, they come through and take over Serena and Darien's body! And we just hit them unconscious!" The girls blinked a minute, letting the new set in, and then looked dismayed.  
  
"She's right! We are going to be beheaded!" Mina screamed and stood up, letting Ami fall in the sand. Ami scrambled up and glared at Mina.  
  
"Alright, everyone calm down!" She snapped and brushed sand off of her clothes. "CALM!" The scouts all sobered up, looking surprised at Ami's outburst. She took a deep breath to compose herself. "Now, if we take them inside, then we don't have to explain to the Prince and Princess. Once Serena and Darien awake, we can explain to them what had happened. We'll talk to Luna and Artemis about the royals, got it?" she asked, looking pointedly at the girls. They all nodded in unison. "Alright, now we need to take them inside." Easier said than done.  
  
After cursing and falling several times, they managed to drag Serena and Darien back inside. They fell on the couch in exhaustion.  
  
Finally, after resting a bit, Lita got to her feet.  
  
"I'm going to check on the babies." She said. As she walked down the hallway, the thought of a whole bunch of excuses to tell Darien as to why his eye was black. When she reached the room, and flipped on the light. The picture that greeted her had her let out a choked cry.  
  
"What is it Lita?" Mina asked, stepping around her. She too stilled at the scene. Oh man! What was going on?  
  
"Ami!" Lita called and the blue haired girl ran to them with Raye following. After their overall shock, Ami whipped out her computer and took scans of boys.  
  
"What happened to them?" Raye asked, looking at the small screen, not understanding anything it said.  
  
She shook her head. "They grew up." Was all she said.  
  
"How old are they?" Mina asked, looking at the five boys, sprawled on the huge bed with their clothes almost ripping at the seams. There was beeping from the computer and Ami looked back at the boys.  
  
"It says they're five years old." Was her final answer.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Did you see how many mistakes I made in that last chapter? I swear I'm losing it! I wanted to get that chapter out so fast I didn't proof it very good, so sorry about them all. Thank you all for putting up with it *Big smile to everyone*, and thank you for all your reviews! Love you lots! Kisses *Muh*  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The girls shook awake the boys. They wiggled and groaned in irritability and finally opened their eyes.  
  
"What is it?" Kunzite muttered, glaring at the girls at the foot of his bed with half closed eyes.  
  
"Yeah, we need sleep." Nephrite yawned and snuggled closer to his pillow.  
  
"Just shut up and get up." Ami said hurriedly, typing on her handy computer. They grumbled some more then paused looking at on another. Shock passed over their youthful faces.  
  
"You're......" Jadeite began, pointing to Zoicite.  
  
"And you're......."  
  
"What happened to us?" Kunzite demanded, sliding off the bed and on to his feet. The action had him wobbling and trying to gain his footing. His blue night shirt rode up his small round belly and his pants were like shorts on him.  
  
"I'm trying to find out." Ami muttered, her eyes locked on her small screen scanning the readings thoroughly.  
  
Zoicite shifted uncomfortably in his soggy diaper, ready to burst out of it. Jadeite leaned down and yanked off his little baby sock hanging on his big toe. Soon, a loud rip could be heard in the tense room and he straitened immediately. Raye had to cough to hide her laughter. Jadeite blushed a little, and then glared at them all while holding the rip of his pants together with a free hand.  
  
"Ha ha, very funny." He muttered.  
  
"I guess we need to get them new clothes." Mina smirked a little.  
  
"It says that their next growth spurt is in three days." Ami finally said looking up.  
  
"But why did they change so fast?" Lita asked, secretly thankful that she didn't have to change anymore diapers.  
  
"I don't know, it just happened." Ami said with a shrug.  
  
"So how old will they be when they grow next?" Mina asked. Ami flipped open her computer again.  
  
"It doesn't say." There was silence as the girls stared at the boys.  
  
"Well..........." Mina began.  
  
"Yeah, well..........." Raye echoed.  
  
"Maybe we should get you new clothes." Lita piped in.  
  
"But where? All the stores are closed." Mina pointed out.  
  
"Maybe we can borrow some of Darien's clothes." Ami suggested.  
  
"Darien!" Raye suddenly cringed, remembering that sleeping two and ran out of the room. When she entered the room, she saw Darien and Serena waking up. Raye winced when she saw the full blown black eye. Serena rubbed her head gently. Raye felt a little guilty about hitting her, but hey, how else was she suppose to save her?  
  
"Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch." Serena chanted, gingerly rubbing the knot on her head. She squinted, her eyes and looked at the girls staring worriedly and a bit guilty at them. She heard Darien groaned and turned to him. When she did, she let out a little cry when she saw his black eye. It was swollen almost shut. "What happened to you?" She asked him, her face white. Darien groaned in response and put a gentle hand to his eye.  
  
"That's what I like to know." He growled, looking at the girls in an accusing manner. They looked at their feet.  
  
"And why does my head hurt?" Serena demanded. Raye throw her hand up in exasperation.  
  
"Alright already. You two were in the moonlight getting way out of control." She began.  
  
"If it wasn't for us, you two would be naked on the beach sand having sex." Lita piped in.  
  
"So we had to do the logical thing and knock you both out to prevent you from doing anything." Mina pointed out.  
  
"So Lita punched Darien in the face and Raye hit you upside the head." Ami finished. Serena stared at her friend open mouthed, her face heating up when they had finished their tale. She scooted a little away from Darien.  
  
"We were that bad?" Darien asked. They nodded.  
  
"I'm really sorry I had to hit you, but it was the only way." Lita gave him a small apologetic smile.  
  
"Yeah, and you weren't really easy to take down Meatball head." Raye said. Serena and Darien shared a look.  
  
*I guess we can't totally blame them. We started it anyways.* Serena told Darien.  
  
*Yeah. But did she have to hit me that hard?* He grumbled back. Serena smiled and tenderly touched Darien's swollen eye, unaware that the girls were watching her very closely with unhidden interest at the exchange of sympathy.  
  
*Maybe we can put a cold steak on it or something.* She said gently, roaming her fingers over the colored flesh. Darien closed his eyes, almost relishing in the feathery touch and caught her slender hand with his own.  
  
The girls leaned in closer, aware that Serena and Darien had forgotten about them standing there. They watched as Darien caught Serena's hand and hold it in his the affectionate clasp. Serena stilled and gazed dazedly into his equally dazed eyes. She licked her lips and her eyes traveled to Darien's lips. Mina blinked at the warm aurora starting to glow around them. She couldn't tell the color, but it was close to fondness and something more. She grinned and rubbed her hands together. After all she was the scout of love. It was her duty to get two single, lonely, obviously starry eyed people together. And this was just perfect. Serena and Darien were perfect. Simply puurrfect.  
  
Lita watched Darien's gaze slip down to Serena's lips, and a brief flash of hunger in the dark depths. Serena leaned in ever so slightly. Lita smiled and nudged Raye with her elbow. Raye nodded, totally engrossed with the two on the couch. Raye always had a crush on Darien ever since she and Serena went to that amusement park and she first saw him and called her Meatball head. But deep down she always secretly hoped that Serena and Darien could just stop all the name calling and admit that they liked each other. Now looking at them staring intimately at one anther she suspected that given a little more time, they'd be together by the time they had to leave back home.  
  
Ami was typing away on her computer, seeing if they were still affected by the moonlight or not. But their readings were normal. She closed her computer with a little snap and all she could think was--- it's about time.  
  
"Uh hey, did you forget about us?" An annoyed voice called out to them. It broke the spell Serena and Darien were in and they jerked apart. Serena looked passed the scouts and saw a small boy with short brown hair and irritated blue eyes.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked him then looked at the scouts for an answer.  
  
"Yeah, about that............" Lita began.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The boys waited patiently, not saying anything when she scouts told Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion about their growth spurt.  
  
*Something's not right." Zoicite told them pulling up the collar of Darien's big shirt.  
  
*Yeah, why are they speaking to them like that? * Nephrite frowned.  
  
*And they're calling him Darien.* Kunzite said looking from the prince and princess, back to the scouts.  
  
*I still can't believe that Lita knocked him out." Jadeite chuckled. Nephrite looked to his love and remembered a similar experience.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
Nephrite was bored. The others went off somewhere and left him alone. He absently waked through the Moon grounds, looking for something to catch his interest when shouting could be heard. Feeling that his boredom would soon come to an end, he went to the sound.  
  
"Jupiter-oak-evolution!" A thundering voice called out. He was in the crystal arena he realized. He entered the vast marble arena and saw the scouts facing off against each other. The one in green was twirling and sparks of electric balls flew at the one in red. She jumped and then raised her arms.  
  
"Mars flame sniper!" She called out and shot an arrow at her. Nephrite tensed, but the one in green easily jumped out of the way.  
  
"Good! Good, Lita, Raye that was good." The one in orange said and walked to them. Lita, he had to remember that name. Lita tossed back her hair that had flown in her face and stood her full height. Nephrite always like tall woman. He had first seen her when she and the others escorted the Princess to her throne the other day. Of course, he was taken by her, who wouldn't be? She was absolutely beautiful and he loved her expressive emerald eyes. And he was impressed that she was a warrior. When it came to female fighters, the others found it disdainful, while he secretly found it impressive. He moved silently to the stairs and sat in the shadows to watch the rest of the practice. Every move she made was fluid and exact. Soon, there was a holler and the scouts stopped their practice. A young girl with short dark brown hair came running in the arena with tears in her eyes and a torn dress.  
  
"Help me! Someone, stop him!" She screamed and saw the scouts up ahead. Nephrite saw her face light up and picked up her pace. Behind her, two young men were chasing her with cynical looks on their face. When they saw the young girl behind the scouts they came to a halt with mirror feet in front of them. She scouts took a protective stance in front of the girl.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Raye demanded. The young men snickered and sauntered closer to them.  
  
"Who are you?" One of them asked.  
  
"And what are you going to do about it?" The other snapped out at them haughtily. The scouts eyed him, looking a bit baffled, but not really showing it.  
  
"Who are we?" Lita echoed angrily.  
  
"That little whore back there owes us." The other said, giving the scouts a good look over, appreciating the short skirts and long legs. A tug of protectiveness pulled at a foreign part of him when they looked Lita up and down. He had to clench his hands together to keep him from moving and pounding the two mens faces in. But he watched and waited, curious to see what they were going to do and curious to see who exactly were the two men who didn't know about the Sailor Scouts.  
  
The girl whimpered and ducked back further. The small blue scout put a protective hand around the girl's shoulders. "I was meeting my sisters at the fruit stand and these men walked up and grabbed me!" The girl cried to them.  
  
"She has a nice firm butt." One of them snickered. Nephrite watched in fascination as Lita's eyes darkened to an almost black color. Soon, a blurry fist came out of nowhere and hit the gloating man in the face. He reeled back and landed on the hard white marble floor with a loud thud. The sound made him wince and rub his head carelessly. The other man let out a growl and clumsily attacked her. But Lita rolled her eyes and sent her other fist flying and it connected with the man's vulnerable eye. A smile tugged at his lips. She was sure something, he thought, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. The girl peeked out from behind the scouts with wide eyes and then a grateful smile graced her lips.  
  
"Oh thank you! I don't know what would have happened to me!" She exclaimed.  
  
The others smiled at her bubbly nature. The girl moved away from them and stepped over the fallen men. She kicked them in the sides then dashed off.  
  
"Well, let's take these guys to the dungeon. They'll think twice before trying to rape an innocent girl." The one in orange said brightly. Raye and the blue haired girl grabbed the two men's ankles and began dragging them out of the arena. The others followed with Lita the last to leave the arena. Nephrite stood and started to follow her out of the arena, trying not to alert her, but the heel of his boot scraped across a stair and she twirled in ready stance. Those fists he witness earlier caught him in the jaw and sent him reeling back. He fell on to the stairs and she stood over him. He meant to glare up at her, but her long, silky legs drew his eyes and he stilled, letting them run up them to her thighs and up her short green skirt. Her waist was impossibly slender and the white bodice hugged her generous breast. Her chest was modestly covered, up her neck, her chin that was stubbornly tilted, up her lush posh mouth. Her small nose and finally, her beautiful green eyes were blazing.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She demanded and folded her arms. He scooted back and then stood up, towering over her despite how tall she was. He watched her closely, and her eyes flickered with an unknown something.  
  
"Just wanted to watch the show." He murmured warmly. She eyed him.  
  
"How did you like it?" She asked raising a perfect auburn eyebrow. He smiled his secretive smile.  
  
"It was good. A VERY impressive show." He purred and left her then, looking surprised. I think I got my point across he thought a little smugly and left the arena.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
The boys stayed quiet and waited for the scouts to finish. When they were done, Zoicite came to a conclusion.  
  
*Didn't Pluto say that they were reborn after the final battle on the Moon Kingdom?* He asked. They nodded in unison. *Well what if they were reborn without knowing their pasts?* That stopped them.  
  
*And that's why they're not calling them Serenity and Endymion?* Kunzite asked. He nodded in confirmation.  
  
"So you don't know how old they're going to be the next time they grow?" Serena's voice cut into their conversation. Ami shook her head no. Luna and Artemis were listening intently to the conversation. She and Artemis shared a look and she nodded to the side where they could talk privately.  
  
"My suspicions are confirmed." Luna whispered to him. Artemis looked back to Serena and Darien and nodded as well.  
  
"Serena and Darien are the Royals." He said out loud. Luna shook her head.  
  
"I of all people should have realized it was her. I mean, my memories of her face are limited, but the hair gave her away."  
  
"Are we going to tell her?" He asked. Luna sighed. She wanted to, after all Serena should know.  
  
"No, we need all the pieces to the crystal first. If Zoicite or Queen Beryl knows, then Serena is in danger. With the crystal, she'll be safe." She said after thinking about it. Artemis agreed.  
  
"We should have known." They turned to the young voice and saw the guards kneeling beside them.  
  
"Why aren't you in your human form?" Kunzite asked them.  
  
"It's better this way."  
  
"So why aren't you going to tell them?" Zoicite asked.  
  
"The Imperium Crystal was lost after the final battle. We need to get the rainbow crystals together first." Artemis told them.  
  
"It was lost!" Jadeite asked aghast at the news.  
  
"Queen Beryl is looking for it too." Luna said solemnly.  
  
"Why did you guys come back anyway?" Artemis asked them. The boys exchanged looks.  
  
"When Queen Beryl created our copies, she sealed un in these strange looking stones. When we finally broke through, the kingdom was already destroyed. Pluto found us and we decided to come back to this time and try to help out." Zoicite explained.  
  
"Yeah, and the scouts mean nothing to you as well right?" Luna asked them with a knowing look. They visibly blushed.  
  
"We didn't say that." Jadeite told her a little smugly.  
  
"You have to know they don't remember their past, and don't remember you." Artemis told them. They looked crestfallen for a moment then wiped away the look.  
  
"We realized that as well." Kunzite growled casting a look at Mina still chatting away with the other girls.  
  
"We just have to work extra hard to let them gain their memories back." Nephrite said, exhaling loudly.  
  
"Yeah, don't underestimate us. We won them once, we can win them again." Jadeite looked at Raye while he said that.  
  
"A bit cocky aren't you?" Luna murmured. "As I recall, it took you four a while to woo them. They're more independent than back then, and bolder as well, you'd be surprised." The shot back at them with a warm motherly pride beaming for the girls.  
  
"Nothing we can't handle." Jadeite scoffed.  
  
"Uh, aren't you forgetting that you're only five right now and they're sixteen." Artemis said with a sheepish smile. That got them and they all grumbled and folded their arms in a sulking manner.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena yawned and stretched. "Then we'll go shopping tomorrow." She said covering her mouth. She blinked away the blurry room and rubbed her eyes.  
  
"We should get some......." Serena snuggled up to the back of the couch and closed her eyes. "Sleep." Raye finished and then sighed.  
  
"Someone needs to carry her to the room." Ami said and stood up. She looked at Lita who held up her hands.  
  
"No can do, my hands are sore from all the hitting I did." She said.  
  
"She's too heavy for me." Mina said.  
  
"I'll do it." Darien growled when the girls started arguing. They stopped and looked warily at him.  
  
"You won't drop her on purpose or anything right?" Raye asked him suspiciously. He rolled his eyes and gathered Serena in his arms.  
  
"No, I hate to be on the receiving ends of her banshee screeches." He replied dryly. She settled in his arms comfortably and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was surprisingly light, considering how much she ate and all. They followed him into the room, where he laid her gently down. He felt empty as soon as he let her down. Shaking away that thought, he covered her with the blankets and exited the room, trying to escape the scouts' critical gazes.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The next morning, the girls awoke to a small cry of shock and scrambled out of bed to Darien's room.  
  
"What is it?" Lita yawned, scratching her arm sleepily. Darien was looking at Kunzite's arm.  
  
"Look at this." He said and, motioned them forward. They went and looked at Kunzite's arm. Little red dots dotted along his skin. Ami took out her computer and scanned them.  
  
"Is it what I think it is?" Darien asked. Ami snapped it closed and nodded. She then looked at the girls with a worried smile.  
  
"Well what is it?" Raye demanded, seeing the spots stole across Jadeite's cheeks and neck.  
  
"They have chicken pox." She simply said. Serena groaned from the doorway.  
  
"Great, what's next?" She asked.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: I know I know, this chapter was kinda boring and all, but I just had to put something out because all next week me and my family are going to Disneyland! Yayyy! And I won't have access to a computer and all, but no worries, I know what's coming next and when I update next, I PROMISE, truly, I'll add the next chapter to 'Protected'. But hey, I updated 'Past Princess's Passions' and edited it and all so read that please. Love you all KISSES *muh*.............. (SilentStar-009 skips merrily down the road and trips on a rock. Ouch mama!!! () 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Serena slid down the doorframe and looked at the boys in a sleepy pout. Darien sucked in a harsh breath, thinking that she looked so sexy right now with her rumpled pink pajamas and her hair all messed up and blonde strands hanging limply in her face. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were bright blue. He always liked the way a woman looked when they woke up. His eyes roamed over her face and then caught onto her eyes. She looked at him in a knowing manner. A brief flash of something triggered in his mind, an almost familiar memory of her looking that way, but her shoulders were naked. He blinked it away and put a hand up to his head, wincing when his hand brushed over his bruised eye.  
  
"What do we need to cure them?" Mina asked, looking anxiously over at the itching boys. Ami shook her head.  
  
"We can't cure them really. The poxes have to run their course. All we can really do is make them comfortable." She said with a shrug.  
  
"That pink lotion stuff should work right?" Lita suggested, looking at Ami for her answer. She nodded.  
  
"And oatmeal bathes." She said and slapped Zoicite's scratching hand away. "Don't scratch or you'll scar." She told him sternly, like a mother chiding a child. He snatched his hand back and gave her a little glare.  
  
"Well what are we going to do? Be itchy all day long?" Kunzite snapped.  
  
"Oh, somebody is a little moody huh?" Mina cooed down and ruffled his platinum hair playfully. He shook off her hand and folded his arm. "Come on, you can come with me Serena to get them some of that pink lotion stuff." Mina said. Serena brightened and stood up happily.  
  
"Let me get in the shower first." She said pointedly at Darien. He flushed a little.  
  
*I won't walk in on you like you did me.* He said with a roll of his eyes.  
  
*Just making sure* She said back and breezed out of the room. The girls eyed the pair curiously, but decided not to comment.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Raye, Lita and Ami left to the store to get the boys clothes and Darien was left alone with them and the cats.  
  
"So, want to tell me the reason you're here?" He asked them, lazily slouching on the couch with an ice pack on his eye. The boys exchanged looks between each other and then the cats.  
  
"We can't tell you yet. Not until the crystal is found." Zoicite said solemnly. Darien paused, thinking of the dreams that haunted him for the past few nights.  
  
"The Princess has to be found first. We can't tell you until she is safe." Kunzite said, folding his arms sternly. His stance was vaguely familiar and Darien wonder why that was so.  
  
"What's so special about the Princess anyway?" He asked. True, he had some questions to ask her about his past, but other than that, she was a total stranger wrapped in a black haze of mystery.  
  
"She is the Moon Princess. Only she could wield the Imperium Crystal. The crystal is a powerful source of magic that can destroy galaxies if it is to be her will. She is an innocent girl and she needs to be protected." Jadeite said.  
  
"Not to mention that Prince Endymion of Earth would kill us if anything ever happened to the love of his life." Nephrite said, elbowing Jadeite in the side. He nodded in agreement.  
  
"Who is this Prince? I've not heard of him before?" He asked them in confusion. That name hit home as well.  
  
"He is the crowned Prince of Earth. We are his protectors." Zoicite said puffing out proudly.  
  
"And where is he?"  
  
"When the Princess is found, he will be to." Kunzite said, sending the others a glare to be silent. All these answers just aroused more questions, but the boys were tight lipped and he knew they wouldn't tell him anymore. The phone rang. Groaning, Darien went to the small table and picked it up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello? Is this Element's Sin headquarters?" A bright woman asked on the other line.  
  
"No." He said slowly.  
  
"Are you Mina's secretary?" She asked with a puzzled tone.  
  
"No, I'm-ah-a friend. May I take a message?" He asked, grabbing a pen and post-its.  
  
"Do you know the other girls as well?" She asked.  
  
"What other girls?" He asked, growing impatient.  
  
"Serena, Lita, Ami and Raye." She confirmed.  
  
"Yeah I know them. What's this about?"  
  
"Just tell them that we're short dancers this weekend, and Polly had her baby." She said with a laugh. "Serena told me to keep them updated on her."  
  
"Short dancers?" He asked again, growing more baffled.  
  
"Yeah, five girls caught the flu and I told them they couldn't work because they could get the costumers sick. Standard policy." Some one said something to the girl on the other line and he heard her cover the mouth piece. "Well, got to go." And then she hung up. Darien stared at the phone, wondering what she was talking about. When the dial tone began humming, he hung it up.  
  
"Who was it?" Luna asked him, leaping on the table. He shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. Some girl called to tell Mina and the others that they were short dancers this weekend at some place called Element's Sin or something like that." Darien saw realization dawn on her and she avoided his probing gaze.  
  
"Oh, well I'll be sure to tell them that." She said hastily and jumped down.  
  
"What is Element's Sin?" He asked. Luna laughed nervously.  
  
"Oh nothing. Don't think about it. Oh look the girls are back!" She cried and ran out to meet them. She was acting very strangely, but he couldn't ask her more questions because the girls all stumbled in with their arms full of shopping bags.  
  
"Damn, how much did you buy?" Kunzite asked. Mina scowled and shook a finger at him.  
  
"Little boys can't swear." She scolded them.  
  
"Hey! I'm not little. I'm a thousand twenty one." He said with his little skinny arms folded. The girls all looked at him blankly and then blinked a couple of times.  
  
"Wow." Serena finally breathed.  
  
"Yeah, you're OLD!" Mina cried out with a laugh. Kunzite opened his mouth to protest, but a hand was put over his mouth. Jadeite shook his head no.  
  
*We can't let them know yet. Look. They already have a thousand questions to ask us.* Kunzite yanked his head away and humphed.  
  
"Fine." He snapped. The girls looked at him in curiosity.  
  
*I think they have telepathy powers like us.* Ami said, shifting a bag to her other hand.  
  
"Yeah, well so what?! I'm going to drop this!" Raye yelled and dashed to the couch before the heavy bags she was caring dropped to the ground.  
  
"Look what I got you! Isn't it soooo cute?" Mina gushed and pulled out a red shirt. The boys all looked at the garment skeptically, fingering the material and frowning at the blue dinosaur with a happy-go-lucky-grin in it.  
  
*What a strange drawing." Zoicite said.  
  
*What is it?* Kunzite asked.  
  
*It looks like a spotted, fat dog.* Jadeite remarked with a smirk.  
  
"And I got your these!" Lita exclaimed and pulled out a package of whitey tighties.  
  
"And what are those?" Nephrite asked, taking the package from her.  
  
"Open it." Raye urged with a grin, elbowing Darien in the side.  
  
"What do you wear? Boxers or Briefs?" Mina asked him out right. Darien choked at the question.  
  
"Excuse me?" He asked, folding his arms and trying to hide his blush. He wasn't about to tell them what kind of underwear he wore.  
  
"Boxers." Serena supplied, breezing through his thoughts. He shot her a glare when the girls started to giggle. "Sailor Moon ones at that. Why Darien, I didn't know you held her in such CLOSE regards." Serena purred with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Having enough of his thoughts read, he put a hand to his head.  
  
*Stay out of my mind Meatball head, or I'll tell them you have a picture of Tuxedo Mask hanging above your bed. Wonder why he's up there in the first place.* He shot at her. Serena stared at him with an open mouth. He wouldn't dare. If the girls knew about all the times she fantasized over him late in the night. All the dreams that she dreamt, they would never let her live it down.  
  
*Why Meatball Head, you actually had wet dreams about me?* Darien asked, roaming liberly through her turbulent and troubled thoughts. Serena flushed all the way to her roots.  
  
"I do not have wet dreams!" She shouted at him, knowing he was so close to the truth.  
  
"Wet dreams?" The girls all asked staring at her in astonishment.  
  
"Serena!" Luna hissed. She actually dreaming those things?  
  
"No! He has them about Sailor Moon!" She shot at him, and the girls whipped their attention to Darien. He stuttered in protest, but nothing came out.  
  
*Serena! Shut up! Do you want more of your secrets exposed? Like for instance, that dirty magazine under your bed?*  
  
*You wouldn't!* She gasped, putting a hand over her mouth.  
  
*I will if you don't shut up.* He growled.  
  
*If you tell them, I'll tell them about all those videos in your closet.* She shot back with a defiant glare.  
  
*They were for a project for one of my classes!" He protested.  
  
*Yeah, and you just happen to have a porn fest every Friday night with Andrew.*  
  
*Alright! I won't tell if you don't.* Serena smiled smugly, hoping he didn't find out about her picture she had of him stashed in her underwear drawer.  
  
*I do. Nice place to put me.* Serena growled and turned away from him. The girls looked at her in surprise and she paled. Shit! They could read her thoughts too!  
  
*No!* Darien hollered at her.  
  
"What were you two discussing?" Mina asked suspiciously, noticing that they were getting redder by the minute. Serena blinked in surprise. They didn't hear her?  
  
"We couldn't when you were all focused on Darien." Ami supplied. Serena raised a brow to this new info. So she could block their mind probing when she was focused on Darien.  
  
*So your secrets are safe.* She said proudly, casting him a look. He noticeably breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
*You better watch your thoughts around them.* He warned. She stuck out her tongue. The jerk, telling her what to do. She could blurt out everything, but she bit her bottom lip. Then they would know the freaky side of her as well and she couldn't do that. It was hard to know that he knew all these things about her in such a short time. Nothing was secret now, and he knew her almost as well as she knew herself. There has to be a way to block him from my thoughts. If all my shadowed experiences came into the light, she worried about how he would think about her. But, on the other hand she could just as well look into his past.  
  
*Don't* He warned in a dark voice, she felt goosebumps steal over her skin. She gazed into his dark blue eyes, hard with panic and determination. She never saw him like this and it frightened her a little.  
  
Darien saw the fear in her eyes when he looked at her, but he couldn't let her know. He didn't want her damn pity. Besides, if she knew, he would have to answer her and bringing up the past was just hurt too much.  
  
*Please, I won't pry anymore if you don't.* He said quietly, breaking away from her troubled eyes.  
  
*Alright. Deal.* She said and held put her hand. He took it and with a def shake, they made a pact.  
  
"Hello! Did you forget about us?" Mina waved a hand in front of them.  
  
"No. So anyway, what do you think of them?" Serena asked and turned her attention to the little boys gazing silently at them.  
  
"What are they?" Nephrite asked again, touching the clear plastic. He never saw, or felt anything like this at all. What was he suppose to do with it? Lita took the package away from him and tore it open and pulled out the crisp new undies.  
  
"Here, I hope they're the right size." The boys all peered at the garment and then exchanged confused looks.  
  
"What are we suppose to do with them?" Kunzite demanded. The girls all busted out laughing.  
  
"Darien, I think you need to explain a few things to them." Serena said between gasps of breath. So Darien took the boys into the back room and a few minutes later they came storming out.  
  
"There is now way I'm wearing these things!" Kunzite said, shaking the white underwear in his small fist.  
  
"But you need to wear some kind of under clothes. What did you wear in the past?" Mina asked.  
  
"We didn't wear THINGS like this." He snapped. The other boys nodded in confirmation.  
  
"You went commando?" Raye asked wide eyed.  
  
"Commando?" Jadeite asked. She shook her head, letting it drop.  
  
"But with the jeans we got you, you'll get uncomfortable. The material is different from what you're used to." Ami told them gently, still laughing in side at their outrage.  
  
"We'll see for ourselves." Zoicite told her firmly, folding his arms in defiantness. Raye was just about to put up another fight, but Lita cut her off with a halting hand.  
  
"Alright, suit it yourselves. Here." She said and held out the new jeans for them. They snatched them away and stomped back into the bedroom and slammed the door behind them.  
  
"You better help." Serena suggested to Darien who had watched the whole exchange in silent mirth. He nodded and went to help, just as a howl of pain erupted from the room. Jogging to the doorway, he opened it and saw Zoicite fumbling with the zipper that had caught him. Knowing he was dying of pain, Darien jerked down the zipper.  
  
"It tried to kill me!" He yelled with tears glittering in his eyes. Darien sympathetically gave him a pat on the shoulder, feeling his pain.  
  
"Let me see." Ami pushed him out of the way and knelt down to aide him. Zoicite sucked in a breath when her hands touched his skin. He remembered one time when she aided him in the past.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
Zoicite cursed bitterly and cradled his bleeding side. "Damn you Jadeite, look what you did!" He yelled at the man, fervently apologizing to him. They had been training, when Serenity and her court came into the arena to practice. As soon as the scouts came walking in with their impossibly short skirts and skin tight bodices, Jadeite had missed Zoicite's sword and slit his side. Now, warm blood was pouring over his hand.  
  
"You're supposed to keep your focus on practicing, not on Princess Raye." He hissed. The sizzling pain had him clenching his teeth together.  
  
"Let me see." A soft voice startled him and he looked up into concerned blue eyes. It was Mercury, Princess Ami. He had seen her the other day when they had first met in the throne room. Out off all of the court, she was the petite one. He had heard she was intelligent and a most valuable asset to the scouts. Actually, he was pretty impressed. Intelligence was rare in the high society. Most girls bred to her kind of standard knew nothing but how to be a good and dutiful wife and mother. They were bred for that reason, and for that, they were boring. But Ami on the other hand knew things. She actually knew more than which way to hold a blasted tea cup, and how rigid their back must be. She moved his hand away and he felt her warm, soft hands prodded his wound.  
  
"Pretty deep. Looks like you need stitches," She stood straight up, barely reaching his chin. "You had better come with me."  
  
"Don't you think you should call a doctor or something." Kunzite asked her coldly. She was unfazed by him.  
  
"Actually, Ami is a great doctor. She is he best healer in the Moon Kingdom." Princess Serenity told him softly. He saw Kunzite's hesitation, but after a short period, he nodded his approval. So he followed her into the Palace and finally, they ended up in a small room. The strong smell of herbs assaulted his nose as soon as he entered. She motioned to a bed and he obediently sat, wincing at the sting of pain. He watched as she busied herself at a small table. Then she came back with a bowel of hot water and a needle and thread.  
  
"You'll need to take off your shirt." She said a bit shyly, and he grinned, despite his aching side. As soon as his shirt was taken off, she avoided his eyes and dipped a small cloth in the water and gently rubbed his blood off. As soon as it was cleaned, she held up the needle. "This might sting a little, but I'll be fast." She said and he braced himself. After a while, he was all stitched up and she handed him his shirt.  
  
"You'll need to take it easy for a while until you heal, but other that that, I think you'll live." She said and turned away to put her stuff back. That was all? Why wasn't she falling on her knees, begging him to have his way with her? Scratching his head, he put his shirt on and then stood up.  
  
"No medicine or anything?" He asked, walking behind her. He felt her stiffen. Ah, so I do have an impact on her.  
  
"No. Do you want some?" She asked, turning to face him. He leaned closer until they were only inches apart.  
  
Her eyes hardened and she met his eyes. "You cannot seduce me Lord Zoicite."  
  
"Why is that?" He asked, brushing her fine blue hear out of her face. She caught his wrist.  
  
"Because you are too much of a whore for me." Was her blunt response. He stilled, looking opened mouth at her.  
  
"Who told you this?" He hissed. It was probably Jadeite. I'll kill him if so.  
  
"It is none of your concern. Just know that I'll be impossible, so don't try." She shot at him. He backed away from her and gave her a cocky grin. No woman has ever escaped his grasp before, and she wasn't going to be the first.  
  
"Nothing's impossible." Was his reply.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
Zoicite's reminisce ended shortly when he realized just exactly what she was looking at. He gasped and pulled away from her.  
  
"I think Darien should look at it." He said gruffly. She frowned, and then shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Fine. But I have to say, that's what you get for not wearing your underwear." She and the other girls exited the room, leaving Darien chuckling.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena and the girls all lounged in the front room, watching the sun go down through the windows. So the moonlight seeks me. Serena thought and rested her chin on her hand, watching the surface of the ocean water glitter red and orange.  
  
"There was a call today." Luna spoke up.  
  
"Who was it?" Mina asked with a yawn and a stretch of her arm.  
  
"It was one of your workers. Darien answered the phone." All the girls perked up.  
  
"He did? What did she say?" Serena asked in alarm.  
  
"That they were short five dancers this weekend and that Polly had her baby." Artemis supplied settling on the arm of the couch.  
  
"Oh Gods! What did he say?" Serena gasped. They could be ruined if the people found out who the owners of the infamous Element's Sin were.  
  
"He was just confused. I think he forgot about it though." Luna assured them.  
  
Serena let out a breath of relief then stood up. A tingling sensation caught her off guard and she looked down at her bare foot. But the moon wasn't even out yet, how could................  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Darien looked sharply up. Where was she? He scrambled out of the room he was in and stepped outside.  
  
*Endy, your eye!* She gasped. He saw her run to him. He winced and shot Raye and Lita a glare.  
  
*Yes. Are you alright?* He asked and kissed her forehead.  
  
*Fine Endy. Here, let me help you.* She put a hand over his eye. Suddenly, her forehead began to grow and a crescent moon appeared. Serenity felt her powers grow and warm her stomach. The power shot up her arm, that down to her hand. The golden light in her hand caressed Endymion's eye and he felt the bruise fade away. He caught her hand and kissed it gently.  
  
"Thank you." He murmured. Serenity smiled and caressed his other cheek with her other hand.  
  
"I would do anything for you." She whispered. He laughed and swooped her into his arms, ignoring the scouts' gasps. "Endy! Where are we going?" she asked, nuzzling his neck.  
  
"You'll see Princess." He teased and began walking down the hallway.  
  
"Oh no! They're at it again!" Raye cried and ran to stop them. But Endymion whipped his head around and stopped her dead in her tracks. His eyes, they held so much power. He held out a hand and a blue light shot out of his palm and blasted her and the others back. They skidded across the slick wooden floor.  
  
"Endy, don't hurt them please." Serenity whispered and kissed his chin. Endymion smiled.  
  
"I would never hurt them love." The scouts watched in horror as the couple disappeared into the back bedroom with the slam of the door. They all stood up on shaky legs and ran to the door.  
  
"It's locked!" Mina gasped and turned the knob frantically. She banged on the door, but loud, slow music drowned out the sound.  
  
"We have to do something!" Raye cried, banging on the door.  
  
"Maybe we can blast the door open with our powers." Lita suggested. They all transformed, but even their most concentrated powers didn't open the door.  
  
"They must have put a spell on it." Ami said scanning the door. "It looks like a solid shield." She said, reading the rapid data on her computer.  
  
"So we can't get through?" Raye whimpered. Ami shook her head sadly and closed her computer.  
  
"No."  
  
"I don't understand. They weren't even in the moonlight. How can they take them over if they weren't?" Lita asked de-transforming.  
  
"I don't know. This is all so strange." Ami murmured. "All I do know is that we can't do anything tonight."  
  
"Oh man, there is going to hell to pay in the morning when they wake up." Mina moaned and shook her head.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serenity laughed when she was stripped of her clothes.  
  
"She is a virgin my love." She whispered.  
  
"Ah, so is he."  
  
"Surprised?"  
  
"Not really, he likes to think with his heart."  
  
"Are you forgetting that you and he are the same?"  
  
"No, I could never forget that." He breathed and kissed her, pulling her close...................  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: Okay, I'm done with this chapter, but it's not the end, oh no. Come on, you all know my writing! You think I would deprive you of all the steamy scenes? So stay tune for next chapter! REVIEW!!!!! Love you all kisses *muh* 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
In the darkness of the back room, slow music flowed through the night. Moonlight cascaded through the open window and sheer white curtains billowed in the salty air. The crashing waves echoed off the bare walls. Serenity pulled out of Endymion's embrace and picked up the matches next to the bed, lying beside a long scented candle. As soon as it was lit the light bounced off the walls and a soft orange caressed their nude bodies. Turning back to her lover, Serenity smiled softly and kneeled on the supple mattress. Endymion's eyes roamed hungrily over her smooth skin and he reached out and touched her flat stomach, his fingers barely touching her.  
  
"Come here." He rasped out and wrapped his hands around her waist pulling her to him. She went willingly. He reclined on the fluffy pillows and she straddled him. Her womanhood rested on his strong upper thighs. But his body wasn't the same. His present body didn't hold the burly muscles like his past body did, and his face looked much younger. But then again, she thought and leaned down to kiss him, he still held the features. For example, his birthmark, that was right under his left arm. And the beauty mark was still on his stomach and pec muscle. His tongue dove into her waiting mouth. She felt liquid fire pool in her stomach. She trembled a little.  
  
"Has it been so long?" She whispered across his lips. Her tongue stroked his full bottom lip and she nipped it playfully. She felt him smile.  
  
"How long?" He whispered back. He pinched one of her nipples and felt it turn hard.  
  
"A thousand years." She whispered back and shivered when his warm breath tickled her ear.  
  
She rocked her hips when his two fingers dipped into her throbbing center. Damn it.  
  
"Oh no! "She whimpered, when the finger began moving in circles. "Don't tease me. I want you so bad. Endy, please?" She begged, feeling her climax rising.  
  
Her little pleasure whimpers were driving him mad, but he wanted to put her pleasure before his. Ah, there it was. Serenity cried out and collapsed in top of him. He felt her muscled spasm around his fingers. He grabbed her leg and wrapped it around his waist while flipping her on her back. She gazed up at him with dark desire. Her beautiful face was flushed and her lips were rosy and swollen from his kisses. He stood on his knees and put her other leg over his shoulder and poised his manhood at her entrance.  
  
"Is it going to hurt?" He whispered tracing her silky inner thigh with a warm finger. She arched in response.  
  
"Only for a moment." She murmured back. He smiled lovingly at her, touched at her trust in him. He did it fast, biting his lip when she cried out in pain. He was deep inside. His hipbone was tunneled into the rounded edges of her. Tears gathered in her eyes and he cursed himself, but there was nothing he could do. He rocked gently, hoping her pain would pass soon because he was losing control fast. Her eyes closed briefly and he waited for a moment before rocking again. At that, her eyes snapped open. Her eyes were dark once more.  
  
"Again." She demanded. And he did, he moved out further and then back in. She moaned and her hands grasped the warm sheets under her. The paced quickened, and skin was slapping against skin in a steady motion. The headboard banged against the wall with their rhythm.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Mina put her hands over her ears, trying to block the sounds of the banging wall from her head.  
  
"Oh gods, oh gods oh gods!" Raye chanted over and over.  
  
Lita flipped on the TV, trying to drown out the sound. Ami was busy typing on her computer, trying to find out why they had changed when they weren't in the moonlight. No one said anything about her red face.  
  
"What's going on? Who's banging on the door?" Jadeite came into the front room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes dressed in cute little red and white pajamas with pink splotches all over his face. The girls exchanged looks and blushed.  
  
"The wind. Come watch TV with us and forget about it." Raye said quickly and held out her hands to him. He brightened and eagerly climbed onto her lap.  
  
* Listen, it stopped! * Lita told them. But as soon as she said it, it started again. They groaned.  
  
"Where is Serena and Darien?" Jadeite asked, absently playing with a strand of Raye's hair.  
  
She stuttered. "Sleeping."  
  
"I hope they're not bothered by the wind too. It's pretty loud." He said and yawned, settling in Raye's embrace. His eyes felt heavy listening to Raye's soothing heartbeat. She let out a little laugh.  
  
* Not when they're creating the wind. * She grumbled. The girls smiled a little, but it faded back into troubled expressions.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serenity felt another orgasm coming and her body shuddered, waiting, anticipating that warm release. He had both of her legs around him, holding them at his hips as he moved. The candle light made the sheen of sweat on his body glisten.  
  
Endymion felt his release coming and he moved faster, wanting that completeness she always offered. It hit him then, the singing pleasure just as she hit her own peak. He looked down and saw her crescent moon glow an amazing amber color. His own power pulsed. The room hummed. The vibrations of both their powers made the candle go out and they were plunged into silver light. The ocean breezed whipped around their bodies as if cooling them. He collapsed on her, breathing hard and relishing in the magic they created. He pulled her up and rolled over until she was on top. Her sweaty blonde head rested in his chest and he absently stroked the silken strands.  
  
Serenity realized that their bodies were still linked together, but she didn't mind. Her whole being felt alive. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on his strong chest and listened to his rapid heartbeat. She blinked, trying to fight her drooping eyelids. Endymion pulled the blankets over their naked bodies.  
  
"Sleep love, the sun is coming up." He whispered, noticing that she was about to plunge into unconsciousness. Nodding slowly, she fell away.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The girls paced the front room floor restlessly. They were still reeling from the power that had snapped them out of their chairs. They had never felt anything like it before.  
  
All that concentrated power must have exploded for a reason. Ami muttered to herself. Jadeite on the other hand knew exactly what they felt.  
  
The wind huh?  
  
He scampered silently away to see if the others were awake. They were, and they were looking troubled.  
  
"What are the scouts saying?" Kunzite asked as soon as he was in the room. Jadeite looked over his shoulder to make sure the door was closed.  
  
"They don't know what's going on." He replied back. Nephrite ran a distressed hand through his hair.  
  
"Why they didn't stop them?" He asked in an irritated manner.  
  
"How should I know? The moonlight wasn't out until almost midnight, and from what I heard, they went into that room long before that."  
  
"But that damn spell was supposed to work in the moonlight only. They couldn't have.......unless......." Zoicite paused. The others knew what he was thinking.  
  
"But why would she do that?" Kunzite asked with a troubled frown.  
  
"I don't know. Do you think we should contact Pluto and ask her what's going on?" Jadeite asked. They were thoughtful, but then Kunzite shook his head.  
  
"There has to be a reason why she did that." He finally said.  
  
"But Serenity can't gain all her powers yet. You saw her! She's still inexperienced!" Zoicite protested.  
  
"The only reason Queen Serenity would accelerate the progress would be that there is something big coming up and she's preparing Serenity for it." Nephrite countered.  
  
"Pluto assured us that they would live through this battle." Jadeite said biting his lip. Raye couldn't die, she just couldn't!  
  
"Maybe the timeline is changing because of our journey here". Kunzite offered. There was a prolong silence. A million questions rolled through their minds, but no one voiced them.  
  
"Should we tell them?" Zoicite finally asked. They all looked at the door, not knowing what to do.  
  
"No. We'll see where this goes for now. If we run into a big complication, then we'll tell them." Kunzite said firmly and then stretched. "When is our next growth spurt?" They laughed at that.  
  
"Tomorrow." Zoicite confirmed with a grin. I wonder how old we're going to be. I can't wait to start with my seduction. The boys all had similar thoughts, and they anticipated the challenge.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena shifted on her somewhat comfortable bed. Still half asleep, she noticed that something was pressed against her and inside her.  
  
It must be a dream. Well, if it was............  
  
She rocked a little, telling her dream to respond. And it did! She felt it stir and harden a little. Wow, her dreams were never so realistic. She refused to open her eyes, so she rocked again. And again, it hardened. She winced a little at the stab of pain, but pushed it away. Her hands splayed across a cool chest and stilled at the heart.  
  
BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP  
  
The person she was on top of, arched a little, and she moaned and rocked against his arch. Hands danced across her bare back and she let out another soft moan that was barely audible. She rose up and tilted her head back, letting her lover grip her hips and rock them. She raised herself up and then down, feeling the slick entrance over and over again. His fingers brushed against her golden brown curls and dove between her folds, caressing her sensitive jewel. She gasped and caught that hand. She felt her dew on his strong fingers.  
  
"More." She rasped and he flicked a thumb over her. She felt fires begin to warm her stomach. They rocked harder together, soaring to impossible heights. Pleasure was overtaking her nerves and she felt him throbbing inside of her. She snapped open her eyes when she felt an overwhelming feeling take flight. She clamped her thighs harder around the hips beneath her and felt him lurch. Warm, sticky liquid poured into her body and she finally looked down.  
  
She finally looked down to see who she was dreaming of. She met black damp hair, matting to a forehead. Her heart stopped, and she looked slowly down and froze when she saw dark blue eyes. Her whole world turned upside down. She felt like her heart was in her throat. And he was still inside her. The dampness between her thighs was real. HE was real. Soon, her shock turned to horror when she realized what they just done together.  
  
"Oh gods!" She squeaked out. "Oh my god!" She breathed and bolted off of him, stumbling in the musky sheets. She grabbed them and jerked them over her naked body. He scrambled away and grabbed the comforter, wrapping it around his waist. Her foot caught in the tangles of the sheet and she tripped and landed hard on her butt. There was banging on the door, but both of them ignored it, looking blankly at one another. Too scared to speak. My gods, what did they do? What did they do? She asked herself over and over, shaking her head, not willing to answer her own question. He looked just as dismayed, mumbling something under his breath.  
  
"We didn't......?" She began.  
  
"We did." He said solemnly.  
  
"And we didn't use any......?"  
  
"We didn't."  
  
"And we just did it again?"  
  
"We did." His answers made her tremble. How could this have happened? One moment she was talking to the girls in the living room and the next, she was having crazy sex with Darien. She noticed that her body ached. Muscles that she never knew she had were screaming at her and her stomach hurt. But all in all, she felt really refreshed. She shook her head. I don't know what I'm thinking. This is all just too much, way too much to handle.  
  
"Jupiter thunder crash!" Serena faintly heard the words before the door shattered open. Splinters flew everywhere and Serena raised the sheets to keep them from hitting her. Darien ran and tackled her, rolling them to safety. His large body covered hers and the sheets fluttered over them. They stared at each another with their faces only inches apart. She couldn't look away from him. His eyes captured her. Her raw body readily responded to his.  
  
"Serena!" She heard Raye cry out and at that moment, Serena cursed her. She had just interrupted something good!  
  
"Hey!" Raye protested, reading her thoughts. The sheet was pulled down and they both winced at the bright light that clashed with their vision.  
  
"Don't look! Don't look!" Ami cried and held out her hand to stop herself from seeing Darien cradled between Serena's legs.  
  
"Serena!" Mina breathed, giving her a wink. Serena felt her face heat up and she pushed Darien off of her. The covers slipped dangerously low over his slender hips.  
  
"I didn't want to believe them!" Luna yowled from the door, dramatically holding a paw up to her forehead. Artemis patted her soothingly on the shoulder. Lita was the one to take charge. She went into the other room and grabbed two pink robes. Silently, she went back into the room and saw Serena and Darien huddled together listening to the others crying about how they tried to stop them and so on.  
  
"Alright!" She clapped her hands and they stopped immediately. She rolled her eyes. "Every one out!"  
  
"But Lita....!" Raye began.  
  
"Out!" She pointed to the door and they shot another sympathetic glance at the nude couple and walked out. When they were finally alone together, she turned back to them. They were silent and she let out a sigh and held out the robes to them.  
  
"But it's pink!" Darien protested, glaring at her.  
  
"It will cover you won't it?" She snapped back. He pouted, but snatched the robe from her. Serena was already belting it on. Lita felt the tension in them. She saw that they were avoiding eye contact. She couldn't blame them; after all they woke up with one hell of a surprise. She didn't mention to the others that she had heard them this morning and she was itching to ask them what they had done. But first, she had to help them through this awkward time. She directed Serena into the master bathroom and Darien into the other bathroom. She waited until the door closed before she left.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena ran the hot water and she stepped out of her robe. She had a lot of time to think about what had transpired this morning and last night, but for some reason, she didn't think about it. Even not thinking about it didn't disturb her. Why was that? She should be shaken about losing her virginity to someone she hated no less that two weeks ago. But she wasn't. But what did frighten her was that she was accepting this. She was actually accepting this. If she had to go and do it all over again, she would. She would in a heartbeat. Darien can't know this, she thought violently, blinking the water from her eyes. He was probably cursing himself for sleeping with her in the first place. But she was ready. She was ready to face his cold demeanor she was sure he would sport.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Darien rubbed the dried blood from himself and watched as the copper water twirled down the drain. What had happened last night? And this morning, it was one hell of a wake up. He still remembered his sleepy responses to her rocking hips. Don't think about it. He told himself harshly. What happened between he and Serena could never happen again. She was only sixteen, and he, well he was older than her. The last thing he wanted was to got to jail because of what they did. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say to her or what to expect from the others. But he couldn't leave. He was so close to finding the princess and gathering more crystals. Sighing, he washed the shampoo out of his hair and turned off the water. Just act cool he coached himself and stepped out of the foggy bathroom to get dressed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The girls ate in silence, keeping one ear toward the hallway. Serena came out first. The girls all watched her sit down and help herself to some breakfast Lita cooked. This is awkward. Ami thought, looking at her fluffy eggs.  
  
*Someone should say something.* Raye growled, hating how she was feeling so ill at ease.  
  
*No. Don't say anything.* Serena snapped at them.  
  
Mina pushed her plate away. *But we can't just NOT talk about it.*  
  
*Yeah, what had happened last night isn't a common occurrence* Lita shot at her. Serena set her fork down and looked pointedly at each one.  
  
*I said I don't want to talk about it.* She grounded out. The girls heard the fury behind her words.  
  
*But......* Mina began again and Serena stood up.  
  
"I said no!" She yelled and stormed out of the room. The girls all watched in surprise as she breezed past Darien, not sparing him a look at all. As soon as he walked in the room, he gave them all warning glares.  
  
"Don't you start with me!" He growled at them. Miffed by their selfishness for not divulging any details, the girls all pouted in their chairs.  
  
The boys observed the exchange in mute tension. Kunzite looked at Mina, who was picking at her food moodily and hid a smile. She was never one to give up so easily when it came to information.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
He had been walking through the moon forest when he heard a rustling nearby. His warrior instincts leapt into play and he dashed for cover. He peeked over the thick bushes and saw Princess Serenity stumbled out of a small cavern. She straightened her hair and dress. It always amazed him to think that this small girl held so much power in that silver crystal she had around her neck. She checked her surroundings and turned back to the cave with a nod. Moments later, he saw his Prince coming out with his clothes sloppily put on. Ah, so there he was. Earlier, he and the others had wanted to talk to the Prince, but couldn't find him. They had decided to break up and look for him since he had been gone almost all day.  
  
"How long have we been gone?" He heard Serenity ask.  
  
"I don't know." Endymion replied in an irritated tone. Kunzite raised a questioning brow wondering why he was in such a bad mood. Serenity laughed and helped him straighten out his clothes.  
  
"We couldn't very well stay in there all day long could we? Don't be so moody." She chided him.  
  
"It won't kill them if they waited for a while." He growled at her and brushed her hands away. Serenity frowned.  
  
"We've been gone for almost the whole day. What would people say if we were gone the whole day?" She asked him.  
  
"Ah yes, those damn appearances." He said looking down and buttoning his shirt up. Kunzite could tell he was annoyed. "Wouldn't want them to know the real you right Serenity?" He purred at her with blazing blue eyes. Kunzite watched wide-eyed as she slapped him across the face. The smack echoed throughout the forest, and birds in a nearby tree fled, squawking with outrage. Endymion put a stunned hand to his cheek. Serenity's face was flaming with anger.  
  
"You had better watch what you say to me Prince Endymion. You are no different than me and I tire of having to defend my intentions to you." She hissed and twirled around to leave. Endymion caught her arm and pulled her back. She struggled out of his embrace, but he was too strong for her.  
  
"Stop." He commanded. Serenity elbowed him in the side and he let her go. "Don't ever slap me again or this will end now." He told her dangerously. Serenity laughed almost cynically.  
  
"You're threatening me with this relationship? You seem pretty confident about yourself don't you? But I know you too well. You won't be able to hold yourself from me for too long." She shot at him. He took a step closer to her and grabbed her chin, tilting her head up so she could meet his flashing blue eyes.  
  
"And you would welcome me back in an instant." He whispered harshly to her. Kunzite rolled his eyes when desire sparked between both of them. They kissed and disappeared back into the cave. He waited a little before standing from his hiding place.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Kunzite spun around with his sword drawn. It clashed with another sword. It was Princess Mina of Venus. The little chit had caught him off guard. He didn't even hear her approaching him!  
  
"I could ask you the same thing!" He snapped. Mina glowered at him.  
  
"These forests are strictly forbidden." She shot back and took a step forward. He pressed her back.  
  
"I was looking for Prince Endymion. I had heard the he and Princess Serenity had gone missing." He told her through clenched teeth. Damn this girl was strong. Mina's expression changed. She lowered her sword.  
  
"Did you find them?" She asked excitedly. He sheathed his own sword and shrugged.  
  
"Perhaps. Why?"  
  
Mina exhaled loudly. "Because Queen Serenity wants me to bring her back to the throne room. A Prince from some faraway galaxy wishes to meet her."  
  
"Another hopeful match?" He asked dryly. She shrugged, but then eyed him.  
  
"Well, did you find them?" She asked again. Kunzite didn't want her to interrupt the two coupling in the cavern. The relationship between the Moon and Earth weren't too good. If the alliance ever found out that those two had become lovers, there was going to be trouble.  
  
"I can't tell you." He finally said. Mina threw up her hands.  
  
"Why?" She asked, and then paused. "What do you know?" She asked suspiciously. There was a keen knowledge of something in her eyes and it piped his interest.  
  
"What do you know?" He asked folding his arms stubbornly.  
  
"I asked first." She shot back. He thought quickly.  
  
"Alright, we'll do it this way." He pulled out his sword and she immediately pulled hers out. "Touch and tell." Touch and tell was like fencing. Whoever touched each other first with the tip of their blade had to tell. Mina nodded and they began sparring. Clashing metal could be heard echoing through the dense forest.  
  
"Touch!" Mina declared with the tip of her sword at his chest.  
  
"I know where they are." He growled and began again. Her fluid motions were smooth and precise. She was better than he thought.  
  
"Touch!" She declared again, this time at his side. He growled. He never lost like this before.  
  
"They were together and arguing." He told her. They began again, but this time, he had stopped her. "Touch!"  
  
"Serenity told me that she had taken a new lover." She said bluntly.  
  
"Touch!" He called again and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"She said that they were meeting in the morning. And it's almost evening now." She explained and they sparred some more. "Touch." She called out. That was three times so far!  
  
"Endymion said the same thing." Kunzite said. She dropped her sword to her side.  
  
"I knew it. Damn those two! Do they know what they're doing? If anyone found out that......"  
  
"I know!" They stared at one another for a moment. Kunzite took in her blonde hair and blue eyes. How come they have to wear those outfits? Her legs were impossibly long and shapely. Her bodice hugged her womanly curves like a second skin. He forced himself to look away. "We can't do anything about it." He muttered.  
  
"I know. We promised to keep our lips closed about it." Mina said in a sulky tone like this information was killing her to keep. Kunzite smiled. She looked adorable, with her lips in a pout like that.  
  
"So did we." He told her speaking about the promise he and the other guards were keeping for the Prince.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
Jadeite snapped out of his memories when the scouts cleared out of the kitchen to wash the dishes  
  
"We have to go in this weekend?" He heard Ami say while they were running the sink water. Jadeite and the other boys exchanged a look.  
  
"I can't believe that five dancers caught the flu. What's next?" Lita asked them, drying the plates.  
  
"Looks like we have to brush up on our moves." Raye said, putting the clean dishes in the cupboards.  
  
"Yeah. Serena called ahead last night to have our outfits ready." Mina said wiping off the stove top.  
  
"And it's fight night. There are going to be a lot of people there as well." Ami said.  
  
"And we've got a famous band coming to play." Raye muttered.  
  
"Well, let's look on the bright side, we'll get tips!" Lita brightened.  
  
"Hey, isn't Serena's birthday coming up?" Ami asked. They stopped and stared at one another.  
  
"You're right! It's at the end of this month!" Mina cried out, wondering why she had missed the date in her calendar.  
  
"Hey! I have a great idea for her surprise!" Lita exclaimed, tossing her damp towel on the counter.  
  
"What?" They asked.  
  
"A stripper!" She exclaimed. The girls looked at her like she was crazy, but then brightened.  
  
"That would be so great!" Mina exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, we could call our private services to put in for one." Raye said.  
  
"Great plan!" They all agreed.  
  
* Strippers? What are those? * Kunzite asked the others.  
  
* I guess we'll see at the end of the month.* Jadeite said, loving Raye's feline smile. It must be pretty good.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The whole day, Serena and Darien avoided one another. They didn't speak, they didn't breath, they didn't do anything when they were around each other. And like she predicted, Darien acted cold and indifferent. But she knew he wanted to talk about it. And she waited. It was his move.  
  
In the night, after the boys were put to sleep, the girls all piled into their own bedrooms. There was thick silence. She knew they wanted to know what it was like. What she was thinking.  
  
"It was different." She began. She all sat up and looked at her, waiting for her to go on. "It was like a dream this morning. Everything was great. But it wasn't real." She turned away from them and buried her face in her pillow. She promised she wouldn't act like this. She PROMISED herself, but the tears came anyway. She had lost something important to her and he acted like nothing had changed. If anything, he grew more distant from her. She thought they had made a breakthrough the other day. Wishful thinking she thought sadly. "It wasn't real." She murmured again and felt them crawl to her and lay down beside her. Gentle, assuring arms wrapped around her and she thanked the gods she had friends like this.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The next morning, the girls all woke up and shuffled into the living room. They were the first ones up. Darien and the boys were still asleep.  
  
"Isn't it their growth spurt today?" Ami asked, fully awake. It had totally slipped their minds! They hurried into the room. There they were, in small clothes with aged bodies. Ami scanned them and nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"Well?" Mina nudged her.  
  
"It says that they're twelve years old." She told them. Serena couldn't help a giggle.  
  
"Ah, puberty. Get ready girls for cracking voices and pimples." She said. They all groaned.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: Alright, another one done! I know things between Serena and Darien are a little confusing, but it will all work out. Thank you all for reading, and thank you to my new Editor Ying. I think she did a great job. So, REVIEW everyone! Love you all! Kisses! *muh * 


	7. Chapter 7

AN: It's true *sniff*, I lost all your lovely reviews! I was updating the story and something went wrong and it mixed up all my chapters! I tried to correct it, but they just kept on mixing up and there were like two chapter ones. So I reluctantly deleted the story and reposted it. I would have over a hundred by now *sniff sniff *. But it's okay! I just want to thank Pyro*Chic for reviewing all my chapters again! You're such a sweetheart! Much love to you girl! And of course love to all my other reviewers. Thank you so much!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Why are they twelve? I thought they're turning fifteen?" Raye asked, looking over the boys. The short little legs they once had were long and bony with big feet. Their short hair was longer, like the length they had when they were older.  
  
"I guess the age change is random. Who knows how old they'll be next time." Ami said with a shrug.  
  
"Looks like we need to go shopping some more!" Mina said, delighted that they get to go to the mall again.  
  
"We'll bring them with us this time." Serena said.  
  
"Yeah, they're old enough to pick their own clothes now." Lita said. "In the meantime, I'm hungry." She said rubbing her stomach.  
  
"Me too! Wow Lita it was like you were reading my mind!" Serena exclaimed. The girls rolled their eyes.  
  
"You have a bottomless stomach so it's no surprise." Raye said dryly. Serena shot her a glare and stretched with a yawn. They all went into the kitchen where Serena went about making coffee. After a quick breakfast that had the rest of the household waking up, she and the girls piled in the Mina's car. The boys managed to shimmy into some shorts and shirts. Jadeite and Kunzite grumbled about the way the jeans were riding up. They went with Darien. They arrived at the small mall in no time while the stores were just opening. The boys all looked wide-eyed at their surroundings.  
  
"What is this place?" Zoicite asked as they wandered through the main walkways peering into the shops and frowning at the lifeless mannequins.  
  
"This is the holy grail for us." Mina said dreamily. The girls all nodded in agreement taking on that same dreamy look. Darien just rolled his eyes.  
  
"You can buy a whole bunch of things here!" Lita exclaimed walking into a store.  
  
"Like a whole bunch of shoes!" Serena exclaimed running across to the other store where they sold shoes.  
  
"And books!" Ami cried and disappeared into a bookstore.  
  
"Not to mention music!" Raye said and hurried to another store.  
  
"But most importantly, clothes." Darien told them and ushered the boys into a different store. It was strange for them to see a store like this where the clothes were already made. But the more exposed to it, the more they understood. They all rummaged through the different racks of shirts, examining them critically. After about an hour or so, the girls all came to meet them with armfuls of bags. Darien and the boys were detained by some flirting voluptuous women. Mina and Lita shared a look. Secretly, they pulled Serena and the others aside.  
  
"Do you have the Luna pen with you?" Mina asked her. Serena frowned and dug into her bag and held it out in her hand.  
  
"Yeah. Why?" She asked. Lita grinned evilly and pointed to Darien trying to brush away the advances. They saw Serena's eyes darken a little.  
  
"We want to play a game with him." Lita said. Serena eyed them.  
  
"What kind of game?"  
  
"Just make us into older women and you'll see. You have to follow along." Mina said and Serena held out the pen. Soon, they were their older selves and they walked into the store.  
  
"Oh look honey! I've got so much things for the boys!" Lita exclaimed running with Mina from the side. Darien's eyes bulged out when they both kissed him on the cheek. The sales people stilled and looked at all of them. Five girls, one guy and four boys who were suspiciously clinging to the girls' legs like a life line.  
  
"Isn't your daddy just the greatest, taking all his girlfriends and kids out for a shopping spree?" Mina gushed, pinching Kunzite's cheek in a motherly manner.  
  
"What are you doing?" Darien hissed at them with his cheeks burning.  
  
"Darling, you simply must get us these matching scarves!" Raye joined in.  
  
"Where is Serena? You mustn't leave the expectant mother out on this!" Ami said. Serena popped out behind a clothes rack with a pillow stuffed under her shirt. She waddled to them.  
  
"Darling Darien, when you said we would go shopping today, I didn't expect to be on my feet all day!" She patted her stomach while using the other hand to brace her back.  
  
"Is this true? Are all these women your girlfriends?" One of the girls asked with astonishment clearly written on her face.  
  
"No!" He protested. Why the hell are they doing this?  
  
The girls all stopped and their lower lips wobbled and tears gathered in their eyes.  
  
"Beastly Darien! You promised we would let our relationship out of the closet!" Mina said and Raye handed her a scarf to wipe her tears.  
  
"How could you do this to us?" Ami wailed and Raye handed her another scarf.  
  
"You can't deny that night when we all got drunk and had that huge orgy". Lita sniffed, and patted Nephrite on the shoulder.  
  
"We even have it video taped!" Serena said to the huge group of people in the store who stopped in to see what was going on. The younger men lifted an interested brow at her comment. "We did the DNA test thing and it proved that they were all yours! You said that you would support all of us!"  
  
"Don't you love us anymore? Aren't we still your queens?" Raye asked. Darien was left staring at them. His lips moved to protest, but all he did was stutter. Murmurs passed through the crowd.  
  
"Young man, a reckless night is no excuse. These boys are your responsibility." An elder man wagged a finger at him.  
  
"Yeah." The girls all said in unison.  
  
"Can I see the tape?" A teenage boy asked only to be elbowed in the side by his girlfriend.  
  
"Yeah man, tell us your secret!" Another called out. Darien flushed, feeling totally embarrassed. He grabbed what ever the boys were holding in their arms and stomped to the register. They rang up the prices and he paid it without even looking. After all the clothes were in bags, he stomped out of the store with the girls running behind him to catch up.  
  
"That was so good!" Mina said between giggles.  
  
"Yeah, you should have seen your face!" Raye said and slapped Darien hard on the back.  
  
"What was that?" He asked them as soon as they were in private.  
  
"We saved you!" Lita protested, and then grinned.  
  
"Saved? You embarrassed me!" He growled. The girls all laughed.  
  
"Yeah, that too!" Serena said with a smirk. Darien narrowed his eyes at her. He looked at her, really looked at her. Her hair was so blonde it was almost silver. Her youthful face was matured and she looked stunning. He forced himself to look away. What had happened between them just the other day was still fresh in his mind. He had stayed awake most of the night wondering what to do. But all he thought was that if it had to happen again, he would do it without hesitation. And that bothered him. He wanted to talk to her so bad, but he was too scared to bring up the subject. What if she was still appalled about yesterday and he told her he wanted to do it again? What would she say? How would he take it? But then again, the way she was looking at him had him speculating whether his train of thought was valid or not. She had some secret knowledge in her. Like she was thinking the same thing. Was it wishful thinking or not?  
  
"You looked like you needed help." Ami's soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he grimaced, remembering what they were discussing.  
  
"I did, but not that kind of help." He said as they left the mall.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena was sitting quietly at the table looking over some papers when the girls all came in.  
  
"We have a problem." Mina began. Serena looked up from her papers and frowned at them  
  
"What kind of problem?" She asked. The girls exchanged looks.  
  
"We have to show it to you for you to understand." Ami explained. Serena sighed and got up from her chair.  
  
"Okay." They led her to the back room. She paused a little. Why did they want her to go in there? She wanted to avoid that room forever!  
  
"Oh!" She cried when a hard shove pushed her forward. She stumbled into the room and whipped around just as they slammed the door in her face. There was a loud snapping sound. She pressed a hand to the door and then yanked it away when it scorched her.  
  
"Raye! What are you doing?" She called out, cradling her wounded hand.  
  
"It's for your own good!" She replied back.  
  
"Why?" She turned around and stopped when she saw Darien sitting on the bed. She blanched and took a little step away.  
  
"What are you doing in here?" She asked in a shaky voice. He held up his hands and saw the burn marks on them too.  
  
"They got me too." He said dryly. Serena looked away from him, feeling the tension building in the room. What was she suppose to do? Discuss it?  
  
"What is there to discuss?" He shot at her and stood up. Serena glared at him and snapped when his face was blank.  
  
She stalked angrily towards him. "You cold unfeeling bastard from hell! WHAT IS THERE TO DISCUSS?" She screamed at him. "You think that this could all just go away?" She asked poking him sharply in the chest. "That this is nothing?" She hollered. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard.  
  
"It has to go away! It could never happen again!" He yelled back and pushed passed her. "It should never have happened in the first place!"  
  
"You think I don't know that?" She shot back at him. "But we can't act like it didn't happen either." She said with narrowed eyes.  
  
"What's the big deal anyway?" He asked throwing up his hands. He silently cursed himself for asking such a stupid question. Serena's faced flamed with outrage, and Darien wondered what she would do.  
  
"WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL?" She screamed. "It was my first time you jerk! How can't it be a big deal? I just lost my virginity!"  
  
"It was my first time too!" He hollered back. Serena looked blankly at him, forgetting what she was going to say. Bit by bit, his words sunk into her mind and she closed her mouth. It was his first time too? But how can that be?  
  
"What do you mean?" He snapped. "You think I'm some kind of male whore or something? That I sleep with just anyone to calm my physical urges?" He demanded.  
  
Serena glared at him. "No you jerk. It was just that....." She trailed off and turned away from him. This was embarrassing, how could she explain?  
  
"What?" He asked with an irritated and impatient voice. She turned back to him.  
  
"Quit reading my thoughts. Didn't we discuss this?" She shot back and folded her arms. He looked a bit ashamed.  
  
"Well, you're being all secretive. What's the problem?"  
  
"I said there was no problem. Why do you have to jump to conclusions all the time?"  
  
"If it's something about me, then of course I would want to know about it."  
  
"You were good!" She yelled. His mouth stayed open and Serena growled and looked away.  
  
Great, way to go Serena. He's probably going to get an even bigger head then he has now and......."  
  
"Stop." He commanded.  
  
"What did we just discuss earlier?" She muttered. There was an awkward silence, and Serena searched his mind, but he kept it blank from her. How does he do that? It's not fair that he could read her mind and he could keep what he was thinking from her.  
  
"I was good?" He finally echoed. Serena gave him another glower.  
  
"Well, you were the only one I ever slept with so I can't compare you to anyone. Who knows, maybe you're really bad compared to others or............."  
  
"I got it." He muttered. They sat in another bout of awkward silence.  
  
"Now what?" She asked him. He gave a shrug.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Okay. The scouts had locked them in this room to sort out what they were feeling. How long will they keep them in there? She had a sinking suspicion that they were trying to get them together. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head.  
  
"When hell freezes over." She muttered. Darien gave her a curious look.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The girls all sat impatiently in the front room.  
  
"Things got pretty quiet back there." Mina said suspiciously, casting a glance at the back door.  
  
"I wonder what they're doing." Raye said, ringing her hands to keep herself from barging in there.  
  
"Why did you lock them in there in the first place?" Kunzite asked them in his new high, cracking voice. The girls all covered their mouths to keep from giggling. He and the boys discovered the game Monopoly and were currently arguing over how much Zoicite was going to buy Park Place from Jadeite.  
  
"You're broke. Come on, you need the money." Zoicite said, waving his money in front of him.  
  
"You should learn not to make impulse purchases." Nephrite said, rolling the dice and moving his dog piece.  
  
"Impulses are good. You don't want to be bored with things that are planned out." Jadeite replied nonchalantly.  
  
"How did you live to be twenty one?" Raye asked. Jadeite gave her a grin.  
  
"By living on impulses." He purred to her and gave her a wink. Raye was a bit taken back. Was a little twelve year old trying to pick up on her?  
  
*Yeah, this morning after we came back from shopping, Nephrite patted my butt.* Lita said. The girls all looked open mouthed at her.  
  
*He did?* Mina asked.  
  
*Zoicite was talking about aphrodisiacs too. He said he knew a lot about different kinds he could make.* Ami murmured.  
  
The girls all eyed the boys, innocently playing the game.  
  
*Maybe we should ask Luna and Artemis about them. They've been pretty sketchy when it comes to them. All they tell us is that they're Prince Endymion's guards. But I get the feeling that they are holding back a lot of explanations.* Lita said. The girls all nodded in agreement and went to search for the elusive kitties.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
How long have they been in here? It seemed like forever Serena thought miserably. She paced in front of the huge window and stilled. Inch by inch, the moonlight began creeping up the house. She wanted desperately to pull away, but it was like she was trapped.  
  
"Darien." She let out a choked cry. He was at her side immediately. "It won't let go." She whimpered. His hand wrapped around her arm and he meant to pull her away, but as soon as they touched, it was like fire exploded in his chest. The feeling was so intense he was left staggered.  
  
"What are they doing to us?" He whispered with hungry eyes roaming over her face and locking with her own. She shook her head, speechless. Their hands lifted and a part of her detached itself from her mind. It was happening again, she was going to black out like all the other times she was in the moonlight. The girls had told her about the bouts they had when the souls of the lost royals would take over, but she never really felt it until now. She tried to hold on, but an unknown power overwhelmed her. Princess Serenity had complete control over her body, and Serena was left sitting in the passenger seat. This was different. She thought and watched through her eyes as Darien smiled charmingly. They leaned in and gave each other a small kiss. She felt his lips on her, she felt his tongue slid in and tease her.  
  
*Darien? Are you there?* She whispered.  
  
*Yeah, I'm here.* Was his low reply.  
  
*Is there anything we can do?* There was silence, and finally he spoke.  
  
*No.*  
  
**Of course not. We're much more powerful than you** A familiar, yet strange voice invaded their conversation.  
  
* Who are you? * Serena demanded. She felt herself laugh.  
  
"Why Serena, surely you know your own voice." She said. The princess moved away from Endymion and went to a mirror. She gazed at herself. "You know. Deep down who you really are." Serena was silent. Yes, what the princess was saying was true. Somehow, in a completely strange way, she knew what she was talking about.  
  
*What are you doing here?* She asked softly.  
  
"Don't you remember?" She asked. Serena shook her head when an ancient memory nagged at her. "Try." The princess urged.  
  
*The spell.* Darien breathed. Those simple two words swamped her with dizziness. It was there, coming to life, the reason for ................  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
They were found out. All their secret rendezvous, all their late night obsessions came into the light. Queen Serenity found them kissing in the secret cave where they always met. They had met after a huge ball. He came dressed in a dark tuxedo and white mask. Her secret Prince came and swept her away. Now, Princess Serenity and Endymion stood side by side while the Queen looked at her daughter with disappointed, but pained eyes.  
  
"Serenity, no" The Queen whispered, and put a bracing hand against the cool surface of the cave. Serenity stayed quiet, but grabbed Endymion's hand. They held onto to each other for dear life.  
  
"Mother....." She didn't know what to say. What could you say? Earth and the Moon were almost enemies, and the two heirs to the thrones were having a secret affair. She knew it wasn't the scouts or the Earth guards who had told her mother where they would have been. But who had? They had taken painstakingly cautious care in keeping their affair a secret. The Queen regained her demure manner and stood tall. She looked at the two critically.  
  
"All this time? Behind my back? You have both betrayed your homelands with this." She said coldly. Serenity flinched. She never heard her mother speak to her like that before. She was so cold.  
  
"We could not betray our hearts." Serenity said softly. Endymion pulled her close in warm protective arms.  
  
"This cannot go on. You must never see each other again." The Queen said and clapped her hands. Four Elite palace guards entered with swards drawn. "Take Endymion away. He must go back to Earth. And as for you my daughter, you will be married first thing tomorrow morning." Serenity paled and put a hand over her crystal. The crystal always seemed to react to her emotions, and right now, it was growing warm.  
  
"I cannot marry twice." She replied coolly. The Queen put a halting hand up to the guards.  
  
"What did you say?" She asked in almost a whisper.  
  
"I said I cannot marry twice mother." She said in a hush. That's why she and Endymion had come here in the first place. They were trying to find a way to break the news to their parents.  
  
"You are married?" The Queen asked in an unbelieving tone. Serenity nodded slowly.  
  
"Last night." She said quietly. Serenity watched as her mother turned even paler. She saw her hands shaking.  
  
"This cannot be. The Queen murmured. "No, it cannot be this way. You don't know how much danger we are in. Earth, the Moon, there can be no such match. Don't you understand Serenity?" She had never heard so much panic in her mother's voice before. The Queen was always calm and serene.  
  
"No I don't. What is so wrong with this mother? We love each other!" She protested.  
  
"No, I have to protect you! You don't know what she is capable of. You cannot be together! The alliance forbids it! I forbid it!" She cried out with wild eyes. Serenity didn't know what to think. Her mother was talking nonsense. Soon, the room in the cave began to hum. There was a sparkling white light surrounding the Queen and Serenity gasped. She knew that power. Surly her mother wouldn't use the crystal on her! But she did, she watched horrified when the white magic shot straight at Endymion.  
  
"No!" She screamed. Her own crystal was hot now and she felt the power course through her. Her mother's magic was countered with a powerful shield that erected over her and Endymion. They clutched each other tightly. When the room quieted down, Serenity opened her tightly closed eyes and looked over to her mother. The Queen looked dumbfounded, as did the guards.  
  
"Serenity, please." Her mother begged with tears in her eyes. She shook her head.  
  
"Mother, what's going on here? Why are you acting like this?" She cried out.  
  
"Daughter, you must believe me. I'm doing this for both of you." The queen said. Serenity felt her frustration mount and she took wrapped her arms around Endymion's waist.  
  
"I cannot believe you when you have nothing to justify your actions." She put a hand over her crystal and felt it heat in her palm. "By the power I call upon the ancient powers. Come, I call you," She felt the words on her lips, and the command intensify.  
  
"Serenity no!" The Queen cried out and took a step forward.  
  
"Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto, Uranus, Saturn, and Moon power, come and grant me this wish, I call upon this bond to be formed by a kiss, never let my love and I part. In this I ask do not fail, for this is my everlasting and eternal spell." She finished her chant and grabbed Endymion's head and kissed him soundly on the lips. Silver light danced around them and she felt the power bind them together. Forever.  
  
"Serenity!" Were the Queen's final words before there was a loud bang. The ground shook and Serenity knew that this was the beginning, but of what, she had no idea.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
Serena sucked in a harsh breath. She remembered. Everything was coming to her in a rush and, she feared she wouldn't be able to handle it. A thousand years brought back a million memories. When she realized that she had control over her body once more, she sank to the floor, holding her head and stomach.  
  
"Why?" She choked out.  
  
*You will see. Together we will see.* Her princess self whispered to her and then left.  
  
Darien looked across the room at Serena, looking blankly at the floor. "Serena? Are you okay?" He asked. She looked up at his voice.  
  
"Darien, I don't understand. Why is this happening to us?" She asked in a shaky voice. He kneeled down beside her and took her into his arms, remembering how right she felt in them.  
  
"I don't know." He looked down and their eyes locked. Maybe it was the closeness they were feeling right now, or maybe it was the reason that they got all their memories back, but for some reason, their faces were inching closer and closer until their lips touched. Blinding hunger devoured the two and they tore at one another. They didn't care about how they were going to feel in the morning, all they cared about was the present and the need to feel, even if it all seemed like a lie.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: I know, I know, you're probably thinking another confusing chapter, but like I said before, it'll all work out. And again, I'm sorry that it took me two weeks to update, but it was kind of hard topping that last chapter. Thanks to my Editor Ying, and for all you readers. REVIEW! Love you all kisses *muh* 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
The scouts found the cats talking quietly outside. They were sitting on a swinging bench overlooking the ocean.  
  
"Luna, Artemis. We need to talk." Lita said. The two guardians exchanged looks.  
  
"About what?" Luna asked them a bit suspiciously.  
  
"The guards. We want to know everything." Raye demanded.  
  
"What is there to know? We told you everything you needed to know." Luna said stubbornly, eyeing the girls like she was ready to jump to defense in an instant.  
  
"No, I can sense it. You're holding back from us." Raye accused them.  
  
"Tell us." Lita took a threatening step forward. She would never in her life ever hurt the cats, but the effect of her actions made them gulp. She saw dark secrets in their eyes, and knew that they were in for an earful.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Hot breaths caressed sensitive skin. Hungry hands roamed over exposed flesh. There was a feminine moan and a soft leg wrapped around taunt hips.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"The guards were a big part of your pasts." Luna began. The girls all settled on the blonde deck wood floor and waited.  
  
"They were your lovers." Artemis supplied. The girls gasped, and things began falling into place.  
  
"At first, you all didn't like each other. You were always at each other's throats." Luna gave into a little laugh.  
  
"It was quite a surprise when you ended up together." Artemis said with a grin.  
  
"In very compromising positions if I might add." Luna piped in. The girls all searched their memories. Fragments flashed here and there, but not enough for them to grasp onto.  
  
"Ami, you and Zoicite were caught swimming naked in a secluded lake. I think you two said you were experimenting something." Artemis recalled thoughtfully. Ami blushed, and avoided the shocked looks from the others.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
His hands dove into her hair and tilted her head up to meet his demanding mouth. Her soft lips opened and another leg wrapped around his hips. He growled when she began rubbing her wet womanhood across his throbbing member.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Raye, one moment you and Jadeite were screaming at each other, the next you were both naked and he pushed you against the wall. It was a good thing I was there instead of your mother, or else you would have been in for it." Luna said. Raye raised an interested brow, and Mina nudged her in the side.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
He pinned both of her hands above her head, making her breast arch like they were begging for his kisses. Hot lips raked over her throat and he gave her nibbling kisses making her giggle. The tinkling sound was so innocent and alluring, he had to grin.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Lita, you and Nephrite were caught in the kitchen late one night. Unfortunately for you, Queen Serenity found you." Artemis said with a shake of his head.  
  
The Queen had caught them? Lita smiled. I wonder what she said.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The blankets tumbled to the ground and they were left on the bare bed. The headboard hit the wall and they stopped. They both looked at each another, and without a word, they slipped onto the carpeted floor. The cool sheets caressed their hot bodies.  
  
"Darien, please?" The soft plea was muffled by another kiss.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"And Mina, you and Kunzite were caught by one of your maids. She got scared when she heard screaming coming from your bedroom." Luna watched as Mina's face heated up and it was Raye's turn to nudge her in the side. Mina scooted a little away. The guardians were quiet, watching the play of emotions and expressions on their faces.  
  
"Why are they here though?" Lita asked.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
He plunged into her. She bit into his salty shoulder to keep from screaming with relief. It was a strange experience. She still hurt a little, but the pain didn't bother her really. It was the fact that she was doing this with him. Again.  
  
It's a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie. She repeated that over and over, hoping that she could make herself believe it, but it wasn't working.  
  
She wanted this. She wanted him. Of course, she didn't fool herself into thinking this was love. Far from it, all they had was the sexual tension between them. And if that was all, why make it complicated? Just because they had loved each other once upon a time, didn't mean they had to now.  
  
Her hands moved over his slick back, and she grabbed his head and kissed him. They groaned into one another's mouth, almost like they were sharing breaths. His hips pumped hard into her welcoming body. She had her legs wrapped so tightly around his waist that they hurt. But the pain, the exquisite pain was what she liked. The texture of his skin was intoxicating, and her nerves were alive, making her dizzy with the sensations.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"We don't really know ourselves. They won't tell us either." Luna said with a grim line around her mouth.  
  
"Maybe you'll have a better chance at learning why." Artemis suggested. The girls exchanged looks. Maybe they would. But just facing them, knowing who they are now was weird. They were twelve and once upon a time they had been lovers. They had a strong idea about the reason they were here, but if they confronted them, how would they act?  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The fires of her climax were warming her lower belly, and she arched her hips to meet his fast thrusts. The room was spiraling out of her sight and she closed her eyes, tightening her arms around his neck when pleasure rocked her body. It was like warm fireworks were exploding in her. She bit her lip hard to keep from screaming. So hard, she tasted the coppery tang of her blood. He moved out, then in. Slowly, carefully, meaningfully, like stamping his imprint into her and she came again, this time, joined by Darien's horse cry. Power rolled like waves through her body and then exploded making the crescent moon on her forehead flare to life and light the room with its amber color. Through lazy eyes, she saw Darien's body over her, glowing a soft dark blue before he collapsed on her and rolled them both over until she was on top and resting her forehead against his heaving chest.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The girls all jumped up when the power hit them.  
  
"Oh no!" Raye screamed in horror and rushed into the house with the others right behind her. They stumbled in the hallway. Raye snapped her fingers and the spell on the door fell away in a rush of steam. She grabbed the knob and twisted it frantically. "Damn it! It's locked again!" She hollered and kicked the door in frustration.  
  
"Serena! Serena!" Mina yelled, banging on the door. There was silence. The girls pressed their ears to the door. Steady breaths were faintly heard.  
  
"We're in big trouble." That was Serena's whisper.  
  
"No." Darien said back and then another bout of peace.  
  
"Oh gods, no, it can't be true." Mina said and took a step away from the door, looking at it with a pale face.  
  
"What? Did something happen to them? Mina?" Ami asked and touched her shoulder gently. Mina shook her head, and then her face cleared.  
  
"It wasn't the Princess and Prince who answered us." She said solemnly. Confusion crossed the other's faces.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Raye demanded.  
  
"I think what she's saying is that it was Serena and Darien who made love, all by themselves. Not the Prince and Princess." Lita said. They gasped and looked at the door with shock.  
  
"They? They did it willingly?" Luna screeched from the ground. She looked like she was going to shoot fire out of her mouth. Artemis wisely moved away from her. Luna unsheathed her claws and started swiping at the door, leaving deep claw marks.  
  
"Serena! You better get out here right now young lady! Serena! Darien, you better be escaping out of the window!" Luna threatened.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" A cracking voice asked. The young guards looked at all of them like they were going crazy.  
  
"Nothing." Raye said quickly. She saw Jadeite look at her with suspicion and she directed her gaze down. Calm, cool. She coached herself. But Luna's words rang in her head. One moment you were screaming at each other, and the next ..... Arggghhh! Don't think about it! He's twelve! It's wrong! Wong I tell ya! She was older, way older, and he, well he was getting pimples and a cracking voice! He was in the midst of puberty where EVERYTHING turned him on!  
  
"Are Darien and Serena in there?" Nephrite asked. Lita nodded jerkily.  
  
"Yeah, er, uh, they're just, um, talking! Yeah talking. Hehehehehe." Silently she was cursing herself for acting so foolish. You changed his diaper! You gave him a bath. LITA, don't think about it. No, don't, I'm-- not thinking about a little twelve year old like that! Oh gods, what if the others are reading her thoughts! She looked around and knew that they had, just like she had heard Raye chanting that he was only twelve.  
  
*Only twelve guys.* Ami echoed trying her hardest not to think about what Luna and Artemis just told them. I mean, she, Ami Mizuno, would never in her life ever go skinny dipping with any guy, even if it were her husband.  
  
*Yeah! Right! Tehehehe, Ami, what did you think I was thinking? Hehehehe.* Mina looked nervously around with pink cheeks.  
  
"Are you okay?" Zoicite asked lightly touching Ami's arm. She jerked back like his touch was made of fire.  
  
"Yeah, everything's just peachy. Uh, I-I think we should get ready for bed. We have a big day tomorrow." She chirped and skittered away with the others following after her.  
  
*What about Serena and Darien? * Raye hissed, trying not to look back at the confused boys. Yeah, that's what they were, boys!  
  
*We'll have to deal with that tomorrow. * Lita said stubbornly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"You told them didn't you?" Jadeite groaned and threw his hands up in the air.  
  
"We had to." Luna said with a glare. She looked at the closed door where her ward was currently naked and wrapped in an older man's arms. Oh dear, what should she do? Even on the Moon Kingdom, when she learned that Serenity had a string of lovers she kept, it didn't bother her like it was now. She knew that it was right for Serenity and Endymion to be together, but not like this. It was too soon.  
  
"They're married you know. It's not like it didn't happen before." Kunzite told her gently, almost reading her thoughts.  
  
"Not in this life. You don't understand. This present Serena isn't like the past Serenity. Different experiences made them a different person. Serena and Darien don't even like each other." She said and began trotting back outside where she could get some fresh air. The boys and Artemis followed her.  
  
"You don't have to like each other to sleep together. They didn't like one another when they were on the Moon Kingdom, just like Raye and I. We shared our bodies, but not our hearts until later." Jadeite said. Luna glowered at him.  
  
"And you think that's right? To share something so intimately without actual feelings? Serena is DIFFERENT, don't you understand? They both are in this time." She took a calming breath, not sure how to explain her feelings. "I fear for them, just like Queen Serenity did. Beryl is back, and stronger than ever, and she wants him."  
  
"She didn't get him before. I think you should trust the Prince and Princess." Kunzite said.  
  
Luna bit her tongue to keep from saying anything. They just don't understand, she thought sadly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I can't sleep." Mina confessed and rolled to her side. They had gone to bed, thinking they could just let the events that just transpired escape their heads, but no such luck.  
  
"Me neither. Everything is just getting so complicated." Lita said with a sigh and sat up. Raye sat up as well and clicked on the lamp. Ami was staring blankly at the ceiling.  
  
"Did they really come back for us?" Mina posted the question to them. She knew the answer herself.  
  
"Why else would they be here?" Raye asked with a shrug.  
  
"But who sent them? Why now? Is something going too happen to us or something?" Lita asked them with a worried crease on her forehead.  
  
"Skinny dipping? That doesn't sound like something I would do." Ami blurted out and sat up sharply. The others blinked at her with surprise.  
  
"Ami, we're talking about something way different." Mina moaned with a roll of her eyes.  
  
"But, outside? In a lake? Naked with a-a man?" She cried.  
  
"It would be strange if you were with a woman Ames. Don't worry about it. It happened a long time ago. Maybe you were different back then." Lita soothed her with a pat on her shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, maybe you were impulsive and daring." Raye said with a smile. Ami glared at her.  
  
"And you don't think I'm those things now? That I'm boring?" She shot at her.  
  
"Whoa there girl, just calm down." Lita said and put herself between Ami and Raye before they did anything drastic.  
  
"Look, what we do know is that they're here and we have to find out why. They couldn't have come to this time just to see us." Mina tucked her knees up to her chin.  
  
"Do we have to talk to them?" Raye asked in a despairing tone, casting a quick glance at the door.  
  
"Yes, now, everyone, just remember they're only twelve." Lita said and stood up. She wiped her sweaty hands on her pajama pants.  
  
"Okay." Raye grudgingly stood up.  
  
"I guess." Mina mumbled.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The boys paced the floor. Soon the bedroom door opened and they all glanced up. The girls all filed in the hallway dressed in their nightclothes.  
  
"Here we go." Nephrite muttered. The girls paused in the doorframe.  
  
"Go ahead. Ask." Kunzite said and sat down on the couch.  
  
"Alright mister smarty pants. Why are you here?" Mina said with her arms folded.  
  
"So you really have to ask?" Jadeite looked at Raye expectantly. Her cheeks took a pink tint and she avoided his gaze.  
  
"There has to be more than the obvious." Ami spoke up. The boys exchanged looks. Pluto told them the rules before they even came here. She said she would give them a sign. They didn't even know what kind of sign to look for.  
  
"We can't tell you yet." Zoicite said awkwardly.  
  
"Why?" Lita asked.  
  
"We just can't." Kunzite snapped.  
  
"Jeeze, what did you see in him?" Raye muttered to Mina.  
  
"She liked me for something else." Kunzite said smugly. Mina blushed.  
  
"Shut up!" Mina hissed at both of them.  
  
They were about to ask another bout of questions when suddenly the boys all groaned and clutched their stomachs. Ami took out her computer immediately and began scanning them while the others rushed to help them.  
  
"Ami what's going on?" Mina cried, trying to hold up Kunzite before he collapsed to the ground.  
  
Ami's eyes scanned the rapid data and shook her head. "It's another growth spurt. But its way too soon." The boys groaned again and pushed away from their support.  
  
"What can we do?" Mina asked frantically. They began to glow green. Soon, their arms and legs began to grow longer. They clutched their heads and began rocking. The girls watched in horror as their juvenile clothes began ripping at the seams.  
  
"Oh gods!" Raye squeaked out when Jadeite's shirt were shredded off him. She covered her hands, but peeked out through her fingers, unable to tear her gaze away from his hardening body. Soon, the spurt was over and the scouts looked in shock as the four 'boys' stood before them, completely grown and completely NAKED!  
  
"Don't look! Don't look!" Ami cried to herself and held out a hand to keep herself from looking at them in all their glory.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena and Darien jumped up and pulled on their clothes at the commotion outside. They ran barefooted into the living room and stopped dead in their tracks.  
  
"Whaaaa-----they're..." Darien trailed off.  
  
"They're NAKED!" Serena cried out. Man, how long have she and Darien been in the backroom? They were boys no less than, er, she looked at the clock and blushed. Four hours ago. The scouts were looking dumfounded at the naked guards with their mouths hanging wide open. And the guards were looking at their new bodies with nods of approval, not caring that they were nude.  
  
"That was fast." Kunzite said with a grin and turned to Mina.  
  
"Yeah." Jadeite said flexing a muscle. Raye's unwilling eyes traveled to the muscle he was showing off.  
  
Zoicite simple walked to Ami and took her in his arms. With a dip and Ami's little leg going up in the air, he kissed her passionately while she hung limply in his arms. Finally, sense came back to her and she struggled out of his embrace. He let her go and she pushed him away from her.  
  
"Finally!" He crowed. The other guards grinned evilly at the other girls. Their eyes widened and they held out a halting hand.  
  
"Wow wait just a second there." Mina began and took small steps backwards, stumbling over the coffee table in the center of the room.  
  
"Yeah, you just stay back." Raye said in a shaky voice watching Jadeite advance on her.  
  
"Come on sweetheart." Nephrite taunted Lita and pounced on her. She yelped in surprise, which was cut off by his lips sealing onto hers. Serena and Darien moved silently out of the room and meet Luna and Artemis in the hallway.  
  
"Serena! You're out of the room?" Luna asked them while looking beyond them to the living room. "What's going on? Who are those men with the scouts? Serena, what's going on?" Luna demanded. Serena looked guiltily away.  
  
"Oh, you had better go see for yourselves. We would have gone to help them, but I'm afraid that they're on their own." She said awkwardly.  
  
"Are they naked?" Artemis asked and Luna gasped and ran onto the room.  
  
"Oh my gods! FIENDS! Get off of them!" There was hissing and strangled curses and the girls all stumbled out of the living room with puffy lips and wild hair. They ran into the bedroom and with a slam, and locked the door with a heavy click.  
  
"Luna!" Serena heard Jadeite whine. Scathing remarks could be heard from Luna's hisses.  
  
"She sure has a mouth." Darien muttered giving his guard sympathetic looks and then he shrugged. "Oh well. Come on." He grabbed Serena's hand and escorted her back into the room.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Sailor Pluto waved away the image she summoned and sighed.  
  
"Why did you do that?" She asked the spirit Queen. "They weren't supposed to grow for another two days." Queen Serenity frowned.  
  
"I know, but they were just so pathetic, having to go through puberty again. You saw them, the poor dears. Besides, the scouts wanted them to grow anyway." She said stubbornly. "Although I would have preferred Serenity and Endymion to have slowed things down a bit."  
  
"She's your daughter." Pluto muttered.  
  
Queen Serenity smiled smugly. "Thank you. I'll take that as a compliment."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: Short chapter I know! I hope some more questions have been answered. To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure how its going to end up. Anyway, hope you all are enjoying your school year, Thanks to my lovely Editor Ying for doing such a great job, and thank you all for your wonderful reviews. Like always, REVIEW! Love you all lots and lots kisses *muh* 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
They were scared to come out of the room. The guards were like predators ready to pounce on their vulnerable prey. Like lions stalking in the bushes, around the corners, licking their lips (literally) in anticipation, flexing their muscles to take them down. And the girls weren't really willing prey were they? They still couldn't believe that they changed so fast. A minute ago they were horny twelve year olds, and now they were horny adults, totally apt at making them weak. The singeing kisses were still fresh in their minds. The feel of their strong arms around them still gave those goose bumps. But in all the shock that happened last night, everything seemed frightfully familiar. The way they were held in their arms, it was like a link they just remembered was missing. Everything about the guards was like they were made and placed in their life especially for them.  
  
The guys were getting restless and uncomfortable with Luna keeping a sharp eye on them. Okay, maybe they jumped a little ahead of themselves yesterday after their growth spurt, but everything just happened so fast. As soon as their growth spurt ended, there they were, their long lost loves standing shocked in one spot looking at them with such familiar eyes. What was a man to do? Being deprived of their lovers for a thousand years would cause any hot blooded man to go a little crazy. It was like an itch that had to be scratched. For the guards, looking at the scouts was like having their life sucked out of them. They were so beautiful! From the look in their eyes, they were very aware of them and their lips! They just had to be kissed. The guards had to feel the softness of their lips on their own and when they did, it was like sweet heaven, being able to hold their small bodies in their arms once again. They each sighed dreamily, looking anxiously at the door.  
  
Serena and Darien were silently sipping some coffee in the kitchen. They had dark rings under their eyes, their clothes were dragged on and they were barely keeping awake.  
  
"They should come out of the room. I'm tired of hearing their complaints." Darien grumbled and slumped down on the table. Serena yawned, looked lazily into the living room and saw the guards sitting moodily on the couch. Ever since she and Darien got up that morning, the guards hadn't moved from that spot. They were even still exposed for crying out loud! She and Darien had to drag the naked guards into a room to give them some clothes to wear.  
  
"Maybe you could talk to them. Convince them not to attack the girls when they come out." She murmured and took another drink of her coffee. Darien moaned and put a hand up to his head.  
  
"Not right now. I'm too tired."  
  
"Me too." Serena said. Mornings were a bitch, especially when you had only slept for four hours. There was a nudge on her leg and she looked down. Luna looked up at her with worried eyes and motioned her to follow her. With a defeated sigh, knowing she couldn't avoid her mentor for long, Serena sulkily got up from her chair and followed the cat. When they reached the vacant back deck they sat on the steps. Serena glared at the afternoon sun. Damn light, don't they know that it's killing me?  
  
"Serena, I know you're expecting me to lecture you about how wrong it is to have relations with an older man that you hate, but I'm sure you know all that." She said awkwardly, looking out over the ocean. Serena blinked a couple of times, looking at Luna oddly.  
  
"That's all?" She asked cautiously. Luna heaved a sigh and nodded her head.  
  
"What can I tell you? You know who you are now. You know your past, and I have a feeling that you know what you're doing." That stunned her.  
  
"You knew all along?" Serena asked. Luna nodded grudgingly.  
  
"Not for long mind you. But I knew."  
  
"But how?" Serena looked at her with a frown. She wasn't really mad at her, just surprised and a bit disturbed that Luna didn't tell her. It was like they were all holding important things from her. But for what? She was scared to find out.  
  
"Your mother came to me in a dream last night and told me that the spell had activated. You're in for a big fight Serena, and I'm not to sure you're ready to face Beryl." There was a pregnant silence. She didn't know if she was ready too. In the past, Beryl had won, destroying her home and killing her husband. Now, she was stronger and more determined than ever. She sneaked an absent look into the kitchen where Darien was still slumped on the table. She still cared about him, even if she didn't love him. He was a friend. A very close friend she thought with a hidden smirk.  
  
"Oh." She said in a breath.  
  
"Do you know what today is?" Luna asked all of a sudden. There was a split second where she didn't know what she was talking about then it dawned on her.  
  
"Oh no! We have to go to the club tonight!" She hissed looking around to make sure no one heard her. She jumped up and bolted into the house making Darien jump up and spill his hot coffee on himself.  
  
"Serena!" He growled. She stifled a giggle and ran into hallway and banged on the door.  
  
"Go away!" She heard Raye call out.  
  
"Do you remember what day today is?" She called out through the door. There was silence and then a startled cry and the door was whipped open. She was swept in and then the door was closed again.  
  
"Oh Gods, we totally forgot about tonight!" Mina cried out. It was the first time today she saw the girls. The room looked messy and confining. Uhh, how could they stay in here the whole day?  
  
"What time is it?" Ami asked, tripping over the blankets that were sprawled out on the ground. Serena looked around the room for a clock, but when she saw that there wasn't one in the room she shrugged.  
  
"We have a couple of hours before hand. We should go to the office and do some paperwork". She said and grabbed the blankets off the floor. The girls exchanged looks and looked warily at the closed door.  
  
"We have to come out of the room?" Lita asked. With a sigh, Serena smiled.  
  
"You can't live in here for the rest of your lives. You're going to have to confront them sooner than later." She told them sympathetically.  
  
"I rather it be later." Ray mumbled absently touch her lips, remembering the hunger in Jadeite's kiss.  
  
"We could sneak out of the window!" Mina exclaimed brightly. The girls all lighted up at that suggestion. They all looked at the huge window.  
  
"Well come on then. We don't have all day!" Lita said pulling Serena's arm. Serena gently pulled away.  
  
"Can I get dressed first?" She asked them turning to the window. The girls gave her pajamas a critical look over. Serena did look rumpled and disheveled.  
  
"Yeah, about that," Raye began. Uh oh, Serena thought and quickened her steps.  
  
"Serena." Mina called out in a warning voice, but Serena was already opening the door and the girls didn't dare come close to the open entrance.  
  
"We WILL talk about it Serena!" Lita called out through the door. Damn. Quickly she jumped in the shower and dressed.  
  
"Where are the girls?" Luna asked from her spot on the bed.  
  
"They wanted to go through the window." She muttered absently grabbing her purse. She looked around the room, making sure she didn't leave anything behind and quietly slipped out of the room.  
  
"What about the guys? What are you going to tell them?" Luna whispered, following her.  
  
"Nothing. I left a note for them. If they find it they find it." Serena whispered back, peeking around the corner. She saw Darien still sprawled in a chair with his eyes closed. She felt like a spy or something, sneaking out behind his back, but if he ever found out that she and the girls owned a strip club, he'd freak out. Even if it was a high class one. They had started out as a club, and with Mina's connections and money, they were rolling in stars and money. It was a hard decision to make part of it a strip club, but they did, and they didn't regret any of it. Serena tip toed back to the room and the girls pulled her in. They had dressed and were waiting patiently for her. Lita unlatched the window and they all escaped out of the room. Mina quickly pulled out her keys and they all jumped in her car. As soon as the engine started they sped off.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Darien wandered through the beach house in search for Serena, but she wasn't there. So he went into the living room where his guards were playing another game of Monopoly.  
  
"Have you seen Serena?" He asked them, sliding onto the couch. They looked up from their spots on the floor and shook their heads no.  
  
"Why haven't they come out of the room yet? It's almost evening." Jadeite complained and rolled the dice.  
  
"You have to admit you took them by surprise. After all, they don't know nearly as much as you do about the past. And don't forget, they're not nineteen like they were on the Moon Kingdom, they're only sixteen excluding Lita whose seventeen." He rattled off, forgetting that his guards didn't know he had his old memories back.  
  
"You know who you are?" Kunzite asked with a frown. Darien told them what had happened the other night. A troubled look crossed their faces, but faded before he could understand why. They switched the subject and for some reason, and Darien was a bit relieved.  
  
The guards all sighed and stretched out. "Luna said they're different in this time too." Zoicite said thoughtfully.  
  
"Yeah they are." Darien said with a sigh. Ever since Serena got her memories back, he had been noticing the subtle changes in her. As Serena, she was meek and immature, but little by little, he saw that wisdom and the smoky, mysterious light appearing in her eyes again. She was always difficult to understand when they were on the Moon Kingdom but that was what attracted him to her besides her obvious beauty.  
  
"Artemis was right. It's going to take a lot of time to make them ours again. But the past is working for us." Jadeite said like a man head over hills in love. But then again, Darien though with a smirk, he was the first to fall.  
  
"Do you have any suggestions?" Nephrite asked him. Darien blinked a couple of times. Nephrite, the man who claimed all he had to do was walk into a room before woman fell to their knees, begging him to take them to bed, was asking for his advice? He grinned.  
  
"Sorry friend. You'll have to figure it out all on your own." It was going to be fun seeing the guys try to woo the worldly girls.  
  
"Maybe we should go talk to them. Maybe promise not to attack them." Kunzite suggested. After all, he didn't want to scare Mina off and he was willing to take things slow this time.  
  
*But it's going to be excruciating!* Zoicite said with a moan. Darien eyed the guards after hearing their thoughts crystal clear in his head. They were linked too? Can't a man have his own private thoughts? Sure he could cover his thoughts from Serena, but that was hard to do even now.  
  
"You'll learn to block them. We don't use the link too much." Kunzite assured him.  
  
"I think the girls would be willing to make a deal with you." He finally said. The guards faces lit up and they smiled cheekily. All at once, they stood up and went to the back room. The door was still locked and there was no answer when they called out. Strange. Darien walked to the back room where he and Serena were staying, but it was empty as well and Luna and Artemis were nowhere to be found.  
  
In a dark corner of the room on a night stand, he saw a small piece of paper that said 'Went to ES headquarters. Be back soon.' ES headquarters? What was that? It was then he remembered the call that he answered at the beginning of the week. What did that girl say? Element's Sins. But what was that? He went to the phone and dialed a number. After a few rings, Andrew picked up.  
  
"Crown Arcade, Andrew speaking." Was the cheerful voice.  
  
"Andrew, do you know a place called Element's Sins?" He asked. The guards were waiting patiently beside him, listening to the conversation.  
  
"Yeah. Why? That's not the place I would imagine you would want to go."  
  
"Just curious." For some reason he knew that what ever that place was, he wasn't going to like.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Four hours before opening and there were already lines forming outside. With the help of the Luna Pen the girls in their older selves greeted the two bouncers with a chirpy smile. Grins broke out on their burly faces and they were all given bone-breaking hugs.  
  
"Nice to see you too." Serena choked out with what little air she had in her lungs.  
  
"Now boss, you're looking better and better every time I see you." The other bouncer, James said to Raye with a wink. James had always had a crush on her every since he started working there. She gave him a cheeky smile and they entered the club.  
  
Workers were already scurrying around, trying to get everything ready for the night. The club was set in three different parts.  
  
The big room was the dancing area called The Triangle because it was shaped like a triangle. Raye and Ami headed that part. Raye was in charge of the music and Ami the lighting and overall activity on the floor. The Dj booth was high in the top floor where dance cages surrounded him. Various lights shone down on them making the floor glow a maroon silver color contrasted by the sparkling black walls.  
  
In the next adjoining room were the bar and the restaurant that Lita headed. It was dark and smoky. A perfect place to hook up with some one, and then wake up from a one-night stand with an ugly person sleeping in your arms. Plus, Lita loved the American movie Coyote Ugly and modeled the bar dancers from it. Thus the room had been named The Dark Corner.  
  
And finally, the room that Serena and Mina headed. It wasn't a strip hall per se. The girls did dance and take off their clothes, but they didn't get bare breasted and they didn't bare their nude ass. Thus the name The Tease Room. After all, it was a high class club, a place where a rich man could bring his trophy wife and she wouldn't be bothered by the beautiful girls giving her husband a lap dance, because she would be getting one along with him. Yes, the society of the rich was strange, but it paid the bills.  
  
Nestled at the very top of the Club named Element's Sin was the girls' office. As they entered the room, a soft almost musical fountain greeted them. The water ran down the small plaster mountain in a huge Jacuzzi that sat in the middle of the huge office. Along the walls, five different desks each with distinct differences on them. A stack of paperwork greeted them and the girls exchanged looks and groaned.  
  
"I can't believe this. Pam was supposed to have all these done." Raye growled shaking a fist of papers in her hand.  
  
"She did seem a bit flaky when we hired her." Ami muttered and began shuffling through various reports.  
  
"Yeah. Why did we hire her?" Mina asked sliding in her orange posh office chair with a spin.  
  
"She came with good recommendations?" Lita said with a shrug.  
  
"I call dibs on firing her!" Raye piped up with a mischievous glint in her amethyst eyes. Mina pouted and Serena just rolled her eyes.  
  
"We have fifteen new dancers to interview." She said, changing the subject. She looked over the names.  
  
"We can do that next weekend. After we get a new secretary." Raye said and pushed the stack of papers on her desk aside.  
  
"Wow, we made a lot of money last weekend." Ami said, looking over the account papers. The girls all went to her desk and looked over her shoulder at the statement. They all let out a low whistle of approval. A knock interrupted them from drooling over the numbers.  
  
"Yes?" Raye called out. A tall, beautiful woman with flaming red hair and brilliant green eyes entered.  
  
"Amelia!" They cheerfully exclaimed and hugged the woman.  
  
"So nice to see you all!" She said with a laugh. Amelia was head of their club when they weren't able to be there. She was once a model, but her life got out of control and they found her one night after the club had first opened sleeping in a nearby alley. So they took her in and helped her out, and soon, she was a minor partner and surprised them by how much she knew about the club owning business. She held out garments still in their dry cleaning bags. "Just wanted to drop by and give you your outfits."  
  
The girls took them readily. "Does tonight's Dj have our music?" Raye asked pulling the plastic bag off of her garments.  
  
Amelia nodded and opened the door again to let a few men it. They carried in shoe boxes. "I wasn't sure what kind of shoes you needed so I got a variety. Anyway, I have to go. My mom invited me to dinner. See you!" She called out with a wave and left them.  
  
"Her mom?" Serena asked in a surprised tone.  
  
"Wow. I guess they made up after all." Lita exclaimed and opened a box to pull out a pair of high heels.  
  
"Damn. Do they make the heels high enough?" Raye growled and opened another box.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Darien couldn't believe what Andrew told him. There was no way it could be true. They were TEENAGERS! They can't own something so absurd and obscene as a strip club! He raced through the dark street with his guards all piled in the car. He was so angry and shocked that he didn't notice his guards clinging to each other for dear life, or see poor Kunzite in the passenger seat closing his eyes and sending fervent prayers to the sky. He passed a slow car and swerved back in to the other lane with out lifting his foot off the accelerator. The directions Andrew gave him were too long for his liking but soon, he was parking his red sports car into a crowded parking lot.  
  
He got out and slammed his door closed. His guards all slowly exited the vehicle, wobbling on the still ground. Zoicite was desperately trying to hold in his lunch and Nephrite hoped the world would quit spinning.  
  
"Come on!" Darien snapped and the guards all sobered up and followed him. They looked around the parking lot, lit by strange looking blue lamps of sort. After all, they were still getting use to the new world they were sucked into. They trotted after the steaming Prince of Earth. They round the corner of the huge building that was vibrating from some reason. As they did, they all stopped in their tracks at the lines of people. Growling, Darien moved around them, ignoring the complaints of outraged people for cutting them. A huge burly bouncer greeted him. Darien should have been a little intimidated by the size and muscle of the man, but he was still too angry to care.  
  
"Whoa there Sir. You can't just cut all these people." One of them said. Darien had already planned what to do if this happened. He reached into his wallet and pulled a card that said VIP on it. Because he owned a huge business like Chiba Electronics, one his workers had gotten him a VIP card. At the time, he didn't think he would really need it, but now he was going to send the person who had gotten him the card a big check. The bouncer took the card from him and swiped it through an electronic scanner.  
  
"Mr. Chiba, so nice of you to join us tonight." The bouncer attached a chain around the card and handed it back to him. "Of course, you'll have to pay the cover charge." He said.  
  
"How much?" Darien growled, impatiently putting the chain over his head and tapping his foot. Damn this man was keeping him from killing the girls!  
  
"Five a head."  
  
"Five dollars?" He asked a bit surprised, digging into his pants for his wallet. The bouncer let out a low chuckle.  
  
"Five hundred a head." He replied. Cursing bitterly, he handed him one of his credit cards. Twenty-five hundred dollars to get into a freaking club! As soon as his card was approved the other bounced let them in. Darien pushed past them. As soon as he entered, a blast of music invaded his hearing and smoke and lasers assaulted his seeing. The club was already packed with people.  
  
"What kind of hell is this?" Kunzite hollered over the blaring music.  
  
"You'll see!" Darien hollered back and pushed his way through the throng of dancers. They stumbled into another room where girls were dancing on a bar while pouring water on themselves. He had to holler at the guards to quit gawking at the soaking woman. In one instance he had to haul Jadeite and Zoicite away from the sight.  
  
"I think I'm beginning to like this place!" Jadeite exclaimed and jumped when a passing woman pinched his butt.  
  
"Call me!" She purred and slipped a piece of paper into his pants pocket and left with a wink.  
  
"Let's go." His Prince snapped and he hurried to catch up with them. Finally, they entered a much quieter room where another bouncer greeted him while standing behind a register.  
  
"Five to see the show?" He asked him. Darien eyed the man.  
  
"Who's performing?" He asked.  
  
"You're in for a treat tonight. The very owners are giving a surprise performance." He beamed. Bingo.  
  
"How much?" He almost hated asking.  
  
"Three hundred a head." Cursing again, he yanked out another card and slapped it on the counter. As soon as it was approved, another bouncer opened the door for him.  
  
"Damn, how many do they have?" He asked absently. A busty blonde greeted them and escorted them to a table and handed them menus.  
  
"Anything to drink?" She asked brightly.  
  
"Brandy." Nephrite piped in.  
  
"Make it five." Kunzite said. Darien was too busy looking at the stage to care what they ordered. Damn her. Damn them for making me come here. Those girls are going to get it.  
  
*Hey, what are lap dances?* Jadeite asked looking over the menu for something to eat.  
  
*I've studied Earth currency, and this place is expensive.* Zoicite said in an awed voice over looking the menu.  
  
*I want to see the show!* Nephrite told them in an excited voice. If they were anything like the ones he saw in the other room, he would die a happy man.  
  
*I just want my damn drink.* Kunzite muttered looking around the room. He could hear the banging in the other room still. They were seated close to the stage. Women in scanty clothes and pretty faces were walking around serving food and drinks.  
  
This particular room was different from the rest. It was decorated in pastels and silver. One could call it almost elegant. He saw other girls dancing in front of different men dressed in business clothes, slipping Earth's green paper money into their short garments. He frowned. Just what exactly was this place? Why was the Prince so angry and where were the girls? The serving wench came back with their drinks and Jadeite and Nephrite ordered some food. Zoicite was telling that it was too expensive, but the other men ignored him, and Zoicite reluctantly order something too.  
  
"Anything for you handsome?" She asked him with a kind smile, not flirtatious at all.  
  
"Whatever they're having." He said absently. She lifted a brow.  
  
"ALL of it?" She asked cautiously.  
  
"Yes. Get him the same." Jadeite said.  
  
"And what about the other one? The same as well?" She asked, giving Darien a curious look, wondering why he was still glaring at the stage.  
  
"Sure. Whatever." Jadeite said and waved a dismissing hand. She shook her head, wrote the order and left them.  
  
An announcer came on and the lights dimmed. "Now the show you've all been waiting for. Please give it up for club Element's own sins." He said. The white curtain lifted and there were five shadowy figures in different poses. Music began playing and the shadowy figures were bathed in different color lights. He was in the middle of taking a drink of his brandy when he saw Mina dressed in a reveling outfit of yellow. He spit out his drink when she began dancing. What the hell was she DOING?  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: Hummmm, wonder what's gonna happen next? I know, I know, I was supposed to update last week, but life was so hectic that I didn't have anytime to write a decent sentence. And yes, you're probably thinking that this chapter was boring, it even had me yawning as I wrote it, but I had to introduce the club like I planned to do for ages.  
  
The scout and guard interaction will pick up next chapter but don't expect any lemons with them too soon because what can I say, their stubborn girls.  
  
Anyway, I left off here because I need help form you readers. I don't have a song for them to dance to, so if you have any suggestions as to what they could dance too, I would really appreciate your suggestions. Send me the lyrics and if at all possible, the song maybe? E-mail me at morning_star_85256@yahoo.com. Don't forget to REVIEW! And like always, thank you to my lovely Editor Ying! Love you all lots and lots. KISSES *muh* 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
There they were. Dressed in scanty clothes, swaying slowly to the song playing through the high volume speakers. It was a slow but paced beat, one that made the atmosphere in the room thick with anticipation and sexually fused silence.  
  
~Tell you what I did last night~  
  
~I came home, say around a quarter to three~  
  
~Still so high~  
  
~Hypnotized~  
  
~In a trance~  
  
Smoke filtered through the stage platform and the girls got up from their poses. They were all dressed in identical outfits, each matching their signature colors. Their bodice molded to their upper torso showing off the outline of their bras. They had loin cloth looking skirts hiked up high on their thighs giving the audience a teasing glimpse of their underwear. Darien's eyes felt like they were going to bulge out of their sockets. He clenched his fists unconsciously. The lights were so bright on the stage he doubted that the girls could see them seated in the front seat.  
  
~From the start it so butter and brown and tantalizing~  
  
He watched as they ran a hand down their front, caressing their breast and their slender waist while keeping painfully erotic and sultry expressions on their faces the whole time.  
  
~You woulda thought I needed help from this feeling that I felt~  
  
~So shook I had to catch my breath~  
  
What would come next had all the guys staring open mouthed at the girls.  
  
~Oops there goes my shirt up over my head~  
  
Lita was the first one to wrench her shirt open, exposing a sparkling green bra. Nephrite sucked in a breath, looking over the expanse of her creamy chest. Zoicite was right, she WAS well endowed. There were hoots and hollers from various tables and he glared at them. But the stage was well guarded by burly bouncers, he doubted he could get to her.  
  
~Oh my~  
  
~Oops, there goes my skirt droppin' to my feet~  
  
It was Ami's turn to show some skin and she pulled the satin string that held her small skirt up and it pooled to the floor. On the next beat, she kicked it away. Zoicite gulped, almost shaking. What the hell was this place? What was she doing?  
  
~Oh my~  
  
Lita and Ami moved together, as did Raye and Mina. They pressed their bodies close together and Ami slid down Lita's length. Mina wrapped a leg around Raye's waist, while Raye anchored her to her.  
  
~Ooh some kind of touch caressing my legs~  
  
~Oh my~  
  
Raye ran a slow hand up Mina's leg and Mina arched back, letting her long blonde hair sweep the floor. Kunzite blinked, staring at the two dancing and touching each other so intimately. Serena moved between the pair of girls, running a slender finger over Lita's back and Raye's cheek. The lights turned a different color.  
  
~Ooh I'm turning red~  
  
~Who could this be? ~  
  
The red lights bathed each girl. They stepped from their poses and Serena grabbed the sliver pole and wrapped a long leg and swung around. She was so close to him, but her back was turned. The other men on the other side slipped some bills into her bra strap that fell around her shoulders. Darien gritted his teeth, fighting hard not to yank her off the stage.  
  
Jadeite grinned dreamily and slouched, resting his chin in his palms. He wasn't disturbed at all. She was his after all, and these men would never know the true extent of Raye's passions. He loved the way she was moving to the music.  
  
~I tried and tried to avoid~  
  
~But this thing was happening~  
  
~Swallow my pride~  
  
~Let it ride and party~  
  
The chairs they had first appeared on were turned around and the girls straddled them, rocking on them and throwing their heads back. They released the back of the chairs and stretched back to the beats of the music.  
  
~But this body felt just like mines~  
  
Serena touched herself, fingering the material of her white shirt.  
  
~I got worried~  
  
~I looked over to the left~  
  
~A reflection of myself~  
  
~That's why I couldn't catch my breath~  
  
They all sat up and stepped away from their chairs. Lita and Ami went to the pole and rubbed against it.  
  
~Oops there goes my shirt up over my head~  
  
Raye ripped open her shirt and threw the red cloth into the audience. Her ebony hair whipped around her body. Ahh, I wish I could be that hair, Jadeite thought, feeling his desire for her begin to build.  
  
~Oh my~  
  
~Oops there goes my skirt droppin' to my feet~  
  
Mina pulled at her skirt string and it dropped to her feet. She kicked it away. Kunzite didn't know how much he could handle this. All these men looking at HIS love, ogling her like a fresh piece of meat. He started to stand, but his Prince pulled him firmly down.  
  
"Let me at her". He hissed at him, but the Prince shook his head firmly.  
  
"We will have a chance." He told him coldly. Kunzite was a little uneasy about the way the Prince was acting. He saw that attitude before. All he could think was that he was glad he wasn't Princess Serenity.  
  
~Ooh, some kinda touch caressing my legs~  
  
The girls were on their knees and with their hands in front of them. They went down on their stomachs and arched again, rubbing against the shiny stage like inch worms, and moving up in sync.  
  
~Oh my~  
  
~Ooh I'm turning red~  
  
~Who can this be? ~  
  
They moved up and another chorus followed.  
  
~Oops there goes my shirt up over my head~  
  
Ami tore open her shirt until all she was wearing was her sparkling blue bra with matching sparkling panties riding dangerously low on her. Zoicite had never seen her this open with her body before. When they had first made love, she insisted that they do it with the lights off, she was that shy. It was only after they had made their lovemaking sessions routine that she allowed him to see all of her. Seriously, he didn't know what she was so shy about. She was absolute perfection.  
  
~Oh my~  
  
~Oops there goes my skirt dropping to my feet~  
  
Lita let her skirt drop to the ground. Nephrite heard another holler of male appreciation, and he clenched his drink, feeling the glass begin to crack.  
  
~Oh my~  
  
~Ooh some kind of touch caressing my legs~  
  
~Oh my~  
  
~(I looked over to left)~  
  
~Umm I was looking so good I couldn't reject myself~  
  
They turned to face each other, mouthing the words so closely, Darien could see their hair ruffle with their breaths.  
  
~(I looked over to the left)~  
  
~Umm I was feeling so good I had to touch myself~  
  
Mina and Raye's hands dove into each other's hair and Mina tilted Raye's head back, and leaned down. Jadeite was holding his breath, waiting to see what was going to happen. Mina stopped abruptly, only inches away from Raye's lips.  
  
~(I looked over to the left)~  
  
They mouthed the words and pulled away. There were disappointed groans from the audience. Jadeite even had to admit he was disappointed too.  
  
~I was eyein' my thighs butter pecan brown~  
  
Ami wrapped one of her legs around Lita's waist, much like Mina did to Raye's. Lita touched Ami's inner thigh and then her hand raced back up to her face and pinched Ami's cheek. They separated and Serena did another number on the pole.  
  
~(I looked over to the left)~  
  
~Umm, comin' out of my shirt and then my skirt came down~  
  
This time it was Serena's turn to strip out of her clothes. Darien moodily ignored the hoots. He clenched his teeth together. Damn it, she was his WIFE. She had no right to be doing this!  
  
~Oops, there goes my shirt up over my head~  
  
Mina was bare just like Ami and Lita she pulled open her shirt and whipped it off.  
  
~Oh my~  
  
~Oops there goes my skirt droppin' to my feet~  
  
Raye pulled her skirt off and Jadeite bolted up in his chair.  
  
"Woooohooo, Raye!" He hollered. Nephrite pulled him down and Kunzite elbowed him in the side.  
  
"Damn it man. Shut up!" Kunzite hissed.  
  
"B-but look at her she---ooof!" Darien pushed him back in his seat with a glare. Jadeite grinned. His Prince was really mad!  
  
~Oh my~  
  
~Ooh, some kind of touch caressing my legs~  
  
~Ooh I'm turning red~  
  
~Who could this be? ~  
  
The Chorus played a couple more times, while the girls were at the edge of the stage, taking money flirtatiously from the hollering males. Even all though the rage he was feeling, he noticed that the bills they were getting were mostly fifties and hundreds. Kunzite heard the music dwindling down and the Prince nudged him in the side.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked, noticing that Darien was taking off his shirt.  
  
"Take yours off and come with me. We have to get them off that stage." Frowning, Kunzite began taking off his shirt.  
  
"But why must we disrobe?" He asked, shivering when the cool air hit his bare skin.  
  
"Use our shirts to cover them up." He told them gruffly. Nephrite and Zoicite grumbled and took their shirts off. Jadeite on the other hand eagerly took his off. Finally the music ended and they moved quickly catching them off guard. The bouncers scrambled on stage, but he kicked them back down. Tables broke as the muscular men landed on them, and Darien hurried off, slamming the stage door behind him and flipping the lock in place  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena was just about to exit the stage when someone attacked her. Her face was covered by a dark something and she was dragged off stage. She didn't struggle much because she knew who it was, but all the same, he couldn't just accost her like this! Who the hell did he think he was? She elbowed him in the gut and he grunted, but continued to drag her off. She blindly made her way with him. Soon they stopped at a door. She yanked the cloth off her face.  
  
"Let me go you jerk!" She hissed and he let her go for an instant, but then clamped a strong hand around her arm. She winced, feeling his hard fingers digging into her tender flesh.  
  
"Open this door." He barked out, glaring icicles at her. She felt her mouth set in an angry line and reached up into her bra cup to pull out her key she had put there earlier. He grabbed it harshly from her and shoved it in the lock, wrenching it open and never taking his grip from her arm. Serena had to admit, she was getting a little scared of him. She never had seen him act like this before. He dragged her up the flight of stairs. Serena looked back, to see if the girls were behind her. When she saw that it was empty, it frightened her a little more. She could barely read what he was thinking, and she didn't like it. His mind was so turbulent and dark she didn't know what to think. Her office door loomed in front of them, and he grabbed the knob and pulled it open, almost tossing her in there in the process.  
  
"What the hell was that?" He yelled at her. Serena resisted the urge to gulp. Instead, she glared right back at him.  
  
"A dance! What did it look like?" She yelled right back.  
  
"You were stripping in front of a bunch of men!"  
  
"In this business, we have to! We don't run a lesbian strip club!" She yelled, throwing her hair back behind her shoulder.  
  
"How old are you and you're doing this? Damn it Serena, what the hell are you and the girls thinking?" He hollered, taking a menacing step towards her. She held her ground, despite the fact that she was shaking inside.  
  
"This is none of your concern. It's our life and we can own a damn strip club if we want to!"  
  
"Have you no shame? You're my wife and you're prancing around like a damn whore! It was a miracle that you WERE a virgin!" He winced at his own words, regretting how they came out. Serena's face flamed red with anger and she took off one of her shoes and hurled it at him. His eyes widened and he ducked just in time to miss the sharp heel.  
  
"You ass-hole! How could you say that to me? I'm not your wife in this life! I hate you!" She screamed and threw her other shoe at him. He caught it in his hand and tossed it aside. In an instant, he was stalking towards her. When he was in front of her, he fended off a couple of sloppy attempts to slap him, but one got him. The smack rang in the large room and he caught her hand and squeezed it hard making her gasp in pain.  
  
"Don't ever slap me again or this will end now." Those familiar words sliced though silence of the room.  
  
"You threaten me with this relationship? You seem pretty confident about yourself don't you? But I know you too well. You won't be able to hold yourself from me for too long." She hissed, and yanked her hand out of his hold.  
  
"And you would welcome me back in an instant." He whispered harshly to her and kissed her hard on the mouth. Soon, their passions flared to life, fed by the rage they were feeling. They didn't see the two cats slinking quietly out of the room. Luna knew what was going to happen, and she shared a worried look with Artemis.  
  
"This is going to be their third time doing this." She whispered, looking at the kissing couple, and then looked away when he started stripping off what little clothes Serena had on.  
  
"You're keeping count?" Artemis asked raising an interested brow. Luna bristled, embarrassed by the fact.  
  
"Well, she is only sixteen, and she is the Princess. She could get pregnant, then what can we do hmmmm?"  
  
"I thought you were going to talk to her about those kinds of things." He grumbled.  
  
"Well I was, but it slipped my mind. Anyway, we should go check on the other girls. They're still getting used to the guards being older, and I have a feeling that tonight's performance has gotten them a bit ruffled." She said and they started off down the stairs.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Lita and Mina rolled their eyes. They settled restlessly in a vacant back room. How the guards found it was a mystery to them. Kunzite was currently berating them on how irresponsible they were.  
  
"You are a Princess, and as a Princess, you don't parade around like a commoner." Mina cut him off and sent him a glare.  
  
"Don't even say it." She warned.  
  
"What would your mothers think if they saw you like this?" Nephrite asked with his arms folded. Lita looked away.  
  
*How long must we listen to them? I'm getting cold.* Lita asked Mina. Mina shared her boredom and impatience.  
  
*I don't know. They're on a roll. Do you think we can sneak away? * She asked hopefully.  
  
Lita glanced at the guys and slumped forward. *I don't think so.* She muttered and buried her face in her hands.  
  
"I'll tell you what your mothers would think." Kunzite went on and on.  
  
Mina exhaled loudly and he stopped mid sentence and narrowed his eyes at her. Lita elbowed her in the side.  
  
*Mina, he was just about to finish. You know how much he hates being interrupted. * She hissed at her.  
  
"Am I boring you?" He asked.  
  
"As a matter of fact you are. She said sweetly and then stood up sharply. And why do we have to listen to you in the first place? You're starting to act like our fathers or something." She said in a huff and folded her arms.  
  
"Yeah. You can't tell us what to do. Lita joined in. You just became adults the other night! So you can't just expect things to settle in place like they did in the past." Lita said and started walking around. "Besides, this room is freezing, and if you haven't noticed, Mina and I are not dressed." She said and pulled Mina's arm.  
  
"I have noticed! And so did the other men!" Nephrite called out.  
  
"We're not done-- Mina!" Kunzite called out. Both girls ignored them and slammed the door closed.  
  
"Well, we told them. Nephrite said." Kunzite shook his head and resisted the urge to slap Nephrite upside on the head. She was right. They just couldn't run their lives. But he was going to punish her. Somehow.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Ami and Raye were hiding behind a large desk outside the office.  
  
"How come you never dance like that for me Raye?" Jadeite asked with a pout trying to catch her around the desk. He wished he could just climb over, but that would take too much time and she would find a way to escape him.  
  
"Yeah Ami. You could share that talent with strangers, but never with me?" Zoicite asked trying to trap the girls between he and Jadeite. But somehow, they managed to stay away from them.  
  
"Because I knew you would act like this." Raye snapped watching Jadeite's movements closely. She had to blink away his naked body a couple of times to keep focus.  
  
"I would have dance for you." He taunted her in a seductive purr.  
  
*I know you would have. * She grumbled to Ami.  
  
*How can he be so open with things like that? * Ami whispered back, fighting her blush as Zoicite looked over her body in appreciation.  
  
"Well you had to do was ask." Zoicite piped in. Ami laughed nervously.  
  
"You're not mad about what happened tonight?" Raye asked them, trying to lighten the thick tension in the room.  
  
"At first I was. But I got over it. After all, they don't know you like I do." Zoicite said with a smile.  
  
"Yes, and I know that no one could ever know the true extent of your passions." Jadeite said. Raye glared at him, hating how his voice was warming her skin.  
  
"And you do?" She asked sarcastically, moving around the table as he moved.  
  
"The first night when we..." He began in a reminiscing voice. She held up a hand to stop him from finishing. She knew very well what happened.  
  
"Don't."  
  
Ami clawed at the desk nervously, avoiding the hunger in Zoicite's eyes and wolfish smile.  
  
"Do you think we could go change now?" She asked, inching to the door. Raye grabbed her hand.  
  
"Yeah, we need to change and you're not allowed in the dressing room." Raye was fervently grateful for the fact, though she doubted Jadeite would care for the rules.  
  
"Awww, but we like you like this." Zoicite said, moving around the corner of the desk.  
  
"It would be even better if you didn't have anything on at all." Jadeite grinned. Raye fought a blush and forced herself to scoff at his remark.  
  
"Like that would ever happen." She grasped the knob behind her back.  
  
"It did before. Remember Ami? But you kept your boots on." Zoicite taunted her and Raye wretched the door open just when the guards decided to pounce. Jadeite and Zoicite hit their noses on the door. Cursing, they rubbed them gingerly.  
  
"Do you think we came on to strong?" Zoicite asked. Jadeite shrugged.  
  
"We'll have them again." He vowed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena tightened her legs around Darien's waist as he stumbled them to a nearby office recliner. She absently wondered if this was all they had to share with one another. They were silent, listening to the beat of the music through the walls.  
  
"You know this is just a job right?" She asked him with a murmur. He heaved a sigh and ran his hands through her hair.  
  
"Yeah. I was just surprised that's all." He fingered her bra and pulled out a fifty from her cup. "How much did you make?" Serena laughed and sat up. She unsnapped the rest of her bra and it fell into their laps along with layers of green money. Darien tried to concentrate on the money, but Serena's bare chest was much more appealing. He ran a finger across the underside of her breast. She watched him though heavily lidded eyes. His eyes darkened with new desire.  
  
"Darien?" She hummed and he looked up. "Is this all we have?" She asked. A part of her wanted to learn the truth, but a part of her wanted to live in the dark and not know how he felt about her and their relationship.  
  
"Do you want it to be just this?" He asked seriously. She sighed and shrugged.  
  
"I don't know yet." She confessed. He leaned up and kissed her on her chin.  
  
"I know how you feel. I don't know either." He said and grasped her hips and rocked them gently, coaching her to move with him. And she did.  
  
I guess I could wait a little longer. She thought. A relationship was a big deal, and right now, she wasn't sure if it was a good idea. There seemed to be a looming cloud of darkness hovering over their heads and she wasn't sure if they could get through it.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: EDITED version. I made a minor change in this chapter. And someone asked me what song they were dancing too. It's called 'Oh my' sung by Tweet featuring Missy Elliot. I think the album is called 'Southern Comfort'. Anyway, thank you to my wonderful Editor Ying! 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
Lounging on the beach was wonderful. Serena thought as she stretched out on her beach towel. The sunlight's warm kisses made her skin feel all toasty.  
  
"Lotion." Mina murmured and Ami handed her the bottle. Absently, she squeezed some out on her hand and began rubbing it on her bare stomach. Ami was buried in a new book. Lita was on her stomach and Raye was rubbing lotion on her back.  
  
"That should be me." Nephrite hissed quietly to Jadeite, The guys were sitting under a big umbrella behind them. Darien was propped on a pillow looking at a book of his own totally oblivious to what his guards were going through. Zoicite nudged Kunzite in the side.  
  
"Do you think that water is cold?" He asked dryly. Kunzite scowled at him.  
  
"Do you want to find out?" He threatened sweetly. He was tired of hearing Zoicite's complaints and hormonal driven whines. Doesn't he know he was going through the same thing? Sure he hid it pretty well, but his control was holding on by a thin tread. Even now, he was ready to pounce on her.  
  
Serena sat up and muttered something to the girls. They nodded eagerly and soon, started running to the water. The guards bit back tortured groans.  
  
"They're getting wet!" Jadeite gasped, cursing Raye for making him squirm on the sand.  
  
"Shut up!" Kunzite bit out and folded his arms moodily. Damn Mina, she can still make me feel like a green lad of fourteen.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"What are you doing?" Pluto asked suspiciously. Queen Serenity smiled mischievously looking up from the image orb.  
  
"Look at them!" She exclaimed gleefully pointing at the guards. Pluto had to sympathize with the poor men.  
  
"What are you going to do?" She asked cautiously. The queen lifted her fingers and Pluto saw a strong waved begin to form. The Princess and her guards were in the water, laughing and playing. Horrified she looked at the queen grinning evilly.  
  
"You wouldn't!" She gaped and Queen Serenity threw her head back and laughed.  
  
"This is going to be so great!" She chuckled and snapped her fingers before Pluto could stop her.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena tried to swim away from Raye's splashing, but Mina got her in the face and she was blinded for a moment. The current around her legs was getting strong. Frowning, she began swimming back to shore.  
  
"Where are you going?" Lita called out to her and pulled her back into the water. She turned back to the open shore and her mouth dropped open. There was a huge wave about to crash down!  
  
"Incoming!" Mina yelled. The wave hit them before they could swim back to shore. Serena was pulled down. Blindly, she clawed her way back up and resurfaced with a gasping breath. The water swirled around her and she noticed something very disturbing.  
  
"My bathing suit!" Raye screamed.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The guards looked warily at the water, wondering if the girls were alright. But when they resurfaced, they sat back down.  
  
"Hey look!" Jadeite said and ran to the shore. The water lapped over colorful cloths. Frowning, he picked up a red one and held it out.  
  
"That looks like Raye's top!" Zoicite said and picked up a blue bottom to a bikini. The looked at one another and grinned. Zoicite looked across the ocean and saw the girls in the distance talking animatedly to one another pointing back to them.  
  
"What is it?" Kunzite's curiosity got the best of him and he went to see. Zoicite was holding out a yellow top. That was Mina's top he thought and saw Mina and the others wading in the water with fierce frowns on their faces. He had to smile. This day was looking up after all. Now he could punish her like he promised earlier, and would have fun doing it.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"I can't believe you did that." Pluto groaned, but a small smile was tugging at her lips. Queen Serenity laughed and watched as realization dawn on the girls' faces. She saw her daughter look back to the shore at Darien who was waving her pink bathing suit top around, mocking her. The other girls were glaring at the guards.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Now what?" Lita asked, looking at Nephrite with her bathing suit in his hands.  
  
"If they expect us to go get them naked, then they're sorely mistaken." Ami muttered, thinking back to the time when she skinny dipped with Zoicite.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Mina moaned.  
  
"We can't stay in the water all day!" Serena said. It wouldn't have been a problem if it was just Darien, but his guards as well? Raye looked around and then dove underwater.  
  
"What is she doing?" Ami asked, glancing at the other girls. Raye soon resurfaced with seaweed in her hand.  
  
"We have to make do girls." She almost growled and began wrapping the slimy green seaweed around her breasts.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Darien knew what the girls were doing and he groaned.  
  
"What?" Jadeite asked squinting over the sparkling water to try to see Raye.  
  
"The found a way to improvise." He said and sat down on the sand bank. Soon the guards could see what he was talking about when, one by one, the girls emerged from the water draped in seaweed. There were disappointed groans.  
  
Serena stalked up to Darien and snatched her swimsuit away from him and left back to the beach house, not before she slapped him in the shoulder.  
  
"See if you get any tonight." She hissed at him and he paled.  
  
"Raye--" Jadeite began but she cut him off with a hand.  
  
"Hey! We didn't cause your bathing suits to fall off." Nephrite protested. But the girls just ignored them and left back to the house, trying desperately to clutch their wayward bathing suits together before they fell apart.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"That has to be the most embarrassing moment of my life." Lita groaned while stirring the food on the stove.  
  
"Tell me about it." Raye muttered helping Ami set the table. Serena ignored Darien's mind apologies and continued to polish the silverware.  
  
"Can we just forget about it?" Ami asked, trying to hide her blush. She kept on remembering the night when she and Zoicite were in that lake doing........She stopped abruptly fighting off the images that were developing. This is not good at all. The more she remembered what had happened between them, the more she was beginning to be attracted to him. She didn't want her life to be ruled by her past, and she didn't want Zoicite to just like her because he did a long time ago. If it were like that, then she couldn't help but feel like it was all fake.  
  
She changed a lot, and she wanted him to know that. It took her a long time to trust him and start a relationship and she doubted she ever would have if it weren't for that time when she saw him in a new light.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
She had been on one of her solitary walks totally engrossed with a new book when a low hiss made her look down. A huge snake was posed his teeth venomous bared. Cursing, she searched frantically for her changing wand. She fumbled through the folds of her dress but came up empty handed. Her jerky movements made the snake move towards her, ready to strike. Desperately, knowing full well what would happen if it bit, she searched for something to defend herself with. The only thing she could grab that was close enough was a thin stick. She quickly picked it up and swung at it, all the while, taking slow steps back. But the snake pressed forward.  
  
Ami frowned. A snake only attacked if it was threatened and she didn't do anything to provoke it! An unwilling whimper escaped her mouth. Never in her life was she so scared than this moment. She was a warrior and here she was, powerless to do anything. Suddenly, she felt her foot slip on slippery leaves and she fell backwards with a startled cry. Her head whipped up just in time to dodge an attack. Her arms shot out to protect herself and she felt the razor sharp of its teeth slice her arm. She kicked her legs, but missed. Dizzy with fear, she flailed her arms out wildly, but the snake had moved up quickly over her legs. She could feel the heavy mass pressed on her.  
  
"No." She managed to say before it bit her on her right breast.  
  
It bit me she thought numbly and her eyes drooped closed. She didn't see an arrow sailing off to her side and spear the snake, pinning it to the next tree. She felt cold. So very cold.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
Ami shivered remembering that experience and finished spooning the mashed potatoes into a serving bowel. The other girls moved around in the kitchen like robots, placing the steaming food in the middle of the table.  
  
"Do you think we have enough?" Serena asked, surveying the heaps of food. "Those guys have quite a big appetite." She muttered and went to the counter.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Mina asked, wiping a strand of hair out of her eyes. Serena picked up a small paper and gave it to her to look at. Mina's eyes widened.  
  
"How can they eat so much?" She cried, aghast at the price.  
  
"Let me see." Raye pushed passed Lita and snatched the receipt away from her." Who's going to pay this?" Raye asked. Serena snatched back the paper.  
  
"Darien is of course. I wonder how he's going to react." She said evilly, knowing that Darien was sure pricky when it came to money. But then again, she though with a grimace, Darien was pricky about almost everything.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Later that night, after they gave Darien the bill for the club, they all settled on the deck, bundled in blankets looking up at the stars.  
  
"I see Orion's belt." Mina said, pointing to the sky. The other girls looked up and pictured the warrior that wore Orion's belt. Serena nestled her head in Lita's taunt stomach and sighed out loud.  
  
"Do you always wonder how you would be like when you grow up?" She asked. The girls all hummed yes.  
  
"I wonder if we're still going to be Scouts when we're like thirty with kids running around." Mina said with a giggle. They all laughed along with her. Ami's gazed wandered to the window. She could see the guys sitting at the coffee table, playing cards. She studied Zoicite's profile. Soon her mind wandered back to the time when she woke up after being bit by the snake.  
  
"I remember that as well." Lita told her, reading her thoughts. The girls all nodded.  
  
"I was so worried about you Ami." Serena said quietly, remembering the fear she felt all those many years ago.  
  
"Zoicite wouldn't even let us into your sick room." Raye grumbled lightly. Ami remembered that as well. She remembered the feeling of security he offered.  
  
"That's when you started falling for him." Mina said and turned to look at Ami. Ami met her gaze, suddenly feeling warm inside.  
  
"Yeah. Something I tried to fight." She murmured.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
Her eyes fluttered open barely. They felt so heavy, and it was an effort just to look through the little slits. But she was awake, feeling awful. Feebly, she lifted a heavy hand to brush her hair off her forehead. An unwilling little whimper escaped her mouth when she felt someone prodding her tender chest. She tired to slap away the intruder's hands, but she was so weak, it tired her to do so.  
  
"Shhh, don't move." A recognizable voice told her. It was Lord Zoicite. She moaned again, trying to tell him that his hands were hurting her. "I know." He whispered and leaned down. She could feel the silky wisps of his hair tickling her arm. She knew that the poisonous venom was coursing through her body. Her tongue felt thick and she was breaking out into a cold sweat.  
  
"Okay, I'm going to do something that I shouldn't do in normal circumstances, so don't get offended okay?" He asked, lifting her chin so she could see his face. She studied his worried green eyes, trying to find reassurance in them. Suddenly, he leaned down and put his mouth to her bite and began sucking. A gasp was caught in her throat, feeling the moisture of his lips on her bare chest. But it wasn't an erotic feeling, far from it. Her wound was screaming out in protest and all she could do was lay there. Warm tears rolled own her cheek and splashed on her hand. She tired to move away, but he held her still and continued to suck the poison out of her. He drew back and spit it into a handkerchief and then did it five more times. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he stuffed the soiled kerchief in his pocket and gathered her into him arms. Her head lolled back and then came to a rest against his chest. She could hear the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat through his warm shirt and fell asleep.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Zoicite looked out of the window at the girls lying in the deck. His eyes wandered to Ami, who was absently rubbing her chest. All of the sudden, he knew what she was thinking of. Even now, what had happened on the Moon Kingdom still bothered him. She had been so weak when he had taken her back to the palace. The bitter tasted of the venom still stung his tongue.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
The Princess and her guard all came running when he had burst through he palace doors, holding the Princess Ami's body in his arms. Her raspy intakes of breath were causing him to panic. He never treated anyone with a snake bite before, and the one that bit her was like none he ever seen before.  
  
"What happened?" Princess Serenity cried, running up to him.  
  
"A snake bit her." He said stiffly and wandered down the silver corridors of the palace. The shocked expression on her face made him pause.  
  
"But we don't have snakes on the moon." She said in almost a whisper. He pushed passed her and started up the stairs. "Bring her in here." The Princess said and went ahead of him, leading him to her wing of the palace. When he entered the room, blue assaulted his seeing. Everything in the room was blue. The Princess pulled back the blankets and he laid Ami down as gently as possible, trying to hold back that knot in his throat. She looked so pale and lifeless.  
  
"I'm going to get the palace healer." The Princess said, but he caught her arm and pulled her back.  
  
"Let me handle this." He almost pleaded.  
  
"But......" She began, looking at her friend on the bed. Tears gathered in her blue eyes and she looked back at him. "You'll do everything possible for her won't you Lord Zoicite?" She asked him in a shaky voice. "I can't lose her. She means so much to me." She went on, kneeling beside the bed and caressing her friend's cheek with shaky hands.  
  
"She means a lot to me too." He confessed and helped her up. She nodded stiffly, and Princess Raye wrapped a protective arm around the small princess.  
  
"We'll be here if you need us." Princess Lita said and left with the others.  
  
For five days, he stayed in her sick room, keeping her bite clean and giving her medicine to keep her fever down, and bit by bit she was getting better. She no longer looked pale and sickly. She was gaining color and her appetite was coming back. Every day, her friends would come by and give her a bath, shooing him out when he protested. She was getting better, that's all that mattered to him. Food, sleep, nothing else mattered and for five days, he didn't leave the room.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Ami rolled over on her stomach. He had devoted so much time, making sure she had gotten better that his heath was wavering as well. One day, when her fever had broke, she sat up, feeling dizzy and there he was, on his knees with his head on her bed, sleeping away  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
Her lips were parched and her stomach rumbled for food. Lord Zoicite was sleeping soundly on her bed with his knees on the ground. He looked pale and she could see dark circle under his eyes. She tenderly touched his honey brown hair, feeling the strands on her fingertips.  
  
"Lord Zoicite?" She whispered. She didn't want to wake him because he looked like he needed the rest, but she wanted him to lie on a bed properly so he didn't cramp. His eyes snapped open at her voice.  
  
"Ami! You're awake!" He breathed and stood up fast.  
  
"How long have I been out?" She asked with a frown, seeing how bad he needed a shave. He scratched his head.  
  
"Five days." She frowned deeper. Five days? That long?  
  
"Ami!" Some one yelled joyously and she saw Princess Serenity and her other friends run to her.  
  
"You're awake!" Mina cried and hugged her gently. She hugged them back, feeling their relief. She didn't know why, but she missed them as well.  
  
"Well, I'm going to get you something to eat." Zoicite said awkwardly and left the room.  
  
"I'm glad you're awake. Lord Zoicite had been at your side from day one." Lita said and settled next to her.  
  
"Yeah, sometimes he wouldn't even let us in to see you." Raye grumbled. She stared opened mouthed at them.  
  
"The whole time?" She asked in an astonished voice. The nodded solemnly. She could tell they worried about him.  
  
"Sometimes we had to force him to eat something or to sleep. He was really worried." Serenity said. Ami felt a little guilty about that. After all, he didn't have to. But he did.  
  
"You could have called the palace healer." She said absently.  
  
"He wouldn't have it. You're really important to him." Mina said gently, in a hinting tone. Ami licked her lips and fought a blush. Soon, Zoicite returned with a silver platter, heaped with food.  
  
"Mmmm!" Serenity exclaimed and reached for a roll. Zoicite slapped her hand playfully.  
  
"Not for you Princess. Ami needs to regain her strength." He said with a roll of his eyes and settled the platter on her side table. She laughed at Serenity's pout and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.  
  
"I think I can share." She said and smiled softly. Zoicite shook his head and shrugged. He started to leave, but she called out to him. He turned around. "Thank you for everything." She told him after short pause. His eyes brightened.  
  
"You're welcome." He said. He murmured something under his breath and then left the door.  
  
"I wonder what he said." Raye said thoughtfully.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
Ami frowned. Yes, I wonder what he said too. The wind began to pick up and they decided to go inside. Ami was the last to go in, and when she locked the door and turned around, Zoicite was standing in front of her with a serious look on his face.  
  
"Anything for you." Was all he said. She looked at him oddly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's what I said when I left. I would do anything for you." He said and went back to join the other guys. Her heart pitter pattered and she felt a smile tug her lips. She was really beginning to like him.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"You shouldn't let them read their minds." Pluto said with a frown, looking at the image orb of the girls.  
  
"It was just a little memory. Don't bee so strict Pluto." Queen Serenity said with a wave of her hand. She watched as her beloved daughter got ready for bed.  
  
"She's not with Darien." She said, a bit relieved.  
  
"You heard her earlier. After that little stunt you pulled, I'm thinking he's in for a dry spell." Pluto said with a chuckle. Queen Serenity laughed, but them something hit her and she became serious.  
  
"The snake." She breathed, thinking back to Ami's memory.  
  
"What about it?" Pluto asked.  
  
"Serenity was right. We didn't have snakes on the moon." There was a silence.  
  
"It seems that Beryl was trying to get rid of the scouts before the attack." Pluto said. Queen Serenity nodded and gazed longingly into the image orb.  
  
"Soon. She'll come soon." She whispered.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: My editor is out of town, so if you see the mistakes in my writings, you'll know why. Anyway, more to come, so REVIEW! 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
Mina rolled to her side and looked blankly at the bare wall of the room. Faintly, she could hear the gently clicking of the clock and Serena's soft snores. Heaving a defeated sigh, she lifted herself out of her warm blankets and tip toed out of the room.  
  
On the cold floors of the beach house she watched as shadows danced in the moonlight shining through the wide windows. Someone snored loudly in the guys' room.  
  
"A snore like that can make the Earth shudder." She told herself quietly with a chuckle.  
  
"That's what I was thinking." Gasping, she twirled around to confront the dark voice. When she saw him sitting on the couch, she let out a shaky breath of relief, but it faded to anger.  
  
"Damn you Kunzite." Do you want me to stab you again? She threatened. He lifted an interested brow.  
  
"So you remember." He said with a small smile. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and went to a nearby chair to sit down.  
  
"Of course I remember. You almost cried." She mocked him. Dark humor danced in his slivery-blue eyes.  
  
"I did not." He shot back and slouched on the couch. "You had bad aim. My leg is far from my heart."  
  
Mina narrowed her eyes. "I wasn't aiming for your heart. You moved before I could impale my real target." She murmured, looking thoughtfully at his lower torso. It took a second before Kunzite realized what she had been talking about and he snorted.  
  
"Been taking sword lessons from Raye?" He asked. She smiled smugly.  
  
"She was always good at finding new places to hurt her foe." Mina said with a cocky smile. "Besides, you were in my room in the middle of the night. What was I to think? By the way, you never did tell me why you were there in the first place." She eyed him warily. "Tell me."  
  
Kunzite sighed. "Why? It was a long time ago and I think you know why."  
  
Mina searched her memories. When it came to her she smiled. "You wanted to finish what we had started in the field."  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
It was a pass time for her. Archery in the sun-kissed fields of the Moon, bathed in the golden light with colorful butterflies dancing round about her. She was pulling back the ridged string when another arrow came sailing at her target out of nowhere. She jerked her head around and saw Lord Kunzite standing on a shallow hill with his bow still poised. The wind ruffled his shoulder length hair.  
  
No matter how delicious he looked, he was still a jerk. She narrowed her eyes at him and put an angry hand on her hip. "Damn man." She muttered and watched him saunter to her like he was the most important man in the kingdom.  
  
"Bull's eye." He said and held gave her a small smile. Mina glared at him.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She hotly shot at him. "I was practicing. I don't need your company." She growled and went to her target to pull out his arrow.  
  
"You don't like a little competition?" He asked her and plucked his arrow out of her hands.  
  
"Of course I do." She said breezily, secretly glad that he wanted to spend some time with her. Ever since they had their touch and tell duel a week ago, she wanted to spend more time with him. He was so cold and mysterious and she couldn't help but be a little curious about him and everything about him. And this was the perfect way to do that. She smiled secretly to herself, Lord Kunzite was awfully stuffy. She wondered if she could take him out of it and bring out his more daring nature.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
"I was quite shocked about the little proposition you had."  
  
Mina smiled and flipped her hair back. "Yes." She laughed. "But I didn't hear you protesting. That was quite shocking."  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
"Want to make it interesting?" She asked, looking expectantly at him.  
  
"It depends on what you would call interesting." He told her with folded arms.  
  
"Well, if you want to be boring." She began.  
  
"I'm not boring." He protested. Mina rocked on her heels.  
  
"Alright." She chirped and looked around her. Her stomach was fluttering with anticipation. "Every time we miss the bull's eye mark, we have to discard a piece of our clothing." She challenged. She swore his mouth fell open.  
  
"What? What kind of arrangement is that? Someone could see us!" He answered, a bit flabbergasted.  
  
"Like I said Lord Kunzite, if you want to be boring then," She was cut off again.  
  
"I told you I was not boring." He paused and looked thoughtfully around. "But if we're going to do this, then we have to go to a more secluded place."  
  
Mina giggled. "Want me all to yourself do you?" Kunzite ignored that remark.  
  
"So the Princess won't see you doing something scandalous." He retorted. That made Mina laugh harder.  
  
"She won't see anything on you that she hasn't seen on your Prince." She said between breaths. Kunzite smirked along with her. "Alright. I know a place to go." She motioned him to follow her. They made their way into the forest taking odd turns and going through overgrown paths until they were in a little clearing. Kunzite looked around, nodding his approval. Mina lifted her finger and pointed it at a large trunk. Golden light shot out of her tip and traced a bull's eye on it.  
  
She locked eyes with him and slowly withdrew an arrow from her quiver and armed her bow. Pivoting on her heel, she pulled back the taunt string to her chin and narrowed her eyes. The arrow shot at the mark like lightning and pierced into the center. It was an easy shot. Kunzite took his turn, standing close to her. His presence was rather overwhelming. It was like she could feel the hardness of his muscles and the command he possessed. Mina had to take a few inconspicuous deep breaths to stop her heart from hammering so hard in her chest.  
  
His arrow whistled through the gentle breeze and pierced the trunk, next to her own arrow. On and on they sparred until Mina missed and hit an outside ring.  
  
"Damn." She hissed silently. Kunzite gave her a smile and pointed to her shoes. She kicked one off. And hour or two went by and both of them were striped to their underclothes. Shadows fell over the mark, making it harder to see it. Mina squinted her eyes, trying not to shiver as a cold breeze whipped around her. She was just about to let her arrow go when a loud crashing sound boomed and then the rain came. Big fat drops fell on them.  
  
"We better get inside!" Kunzite hollered over the crashing lightning. Mina blinked the rain out of her eyes and gathered her clothes. She could barely see beyond the grey mist of the storm and tripped over a root. Kunzite caught her around the waist and hauled her back up. She was glad the storm was loud because he would have heard her little gasp. She didn't know what was wrong with her. He was just like the other men in her life wasn't he? Why was she so damn attracted to him? So much that just a simple thing like a touch, a glance even made her get hot for him.  
  
They burst through the thick forest and skidded to a halt when they saw the steep hill they were on. But their momentum was lost and their feet slipped in the soft mud. With a strangled cry, they fell head first down the hill. The world rolled all around her. A sharp rock bit onto her arm. Her hands shot out blindly, trying to stop. They grasped Kunzite's arm and with all her might, she pulled him close to her. With both of them rolling, their paced slowed and when she thought it couldn't get any worse, they landed in a cold puddle of water that pooled at the bottom of the hill.  
  
"Damn it!" Mina shrieked and lifted herself up on her hands. Water dripped down her face and her thick hair was matted to her back and forehead. Kunzite grabbed her hand and pulled her up.  
  
"We need to stay somewhere until the storm ends!" He yelled and jerked her with him. Together they stumbled to a patch of rocks that had a little opening toward the bottom. It was just big enough for them to crawl into. She pulled away from him and huddled against the rocks. Cautiously she peered into the darkness. It was such a small space and he was so big, it was like he took up all the room. Their body heat radiated off them and heated up the place, and all they could do was stay seated and listen to the rain slapping on the ground and hitting on the grey boulders.  
  
"I think I won." He finally said. Mina eyed him in the darkness.  
  
"How so?" She shot at him and folded her arms.  
  
"I have more clothes on." He simply said. Mina fingered her almost translucent undergarment and blushed a little. When the rain had started, it immediately soaked through and molded to her body like a second skin. He must have seen it. Goosebumps raced across her arms.  
  
"Right." She said in a breathless voice with a hint of quiver. Oh god, he didn't hear that did he? She cleared her throat. "But I think I would have won if this storm hadn't come."  
  
He chuckled and she felt the vibrations hit her. Her heart sped up and she licked her lips. Her hands were opening and closing, itching to just touch him. This was just a passing feeling. She hoped.  
  
"What do I win?" He asked. Mina blinked and then leaned forward.  
  
"Say that again?" She felt him stretch out until her small body was caged between his long legs. He leaned in as well until she felt his breath on her forehead. She jerked her head back, trying to put a little space between them, but he captured her head in his hands and held her in place. Her heart jumped to her throat.  
  
"What do I win?" He asked again in a silky voice that made desire pool in her stomach.  
  
"What do you want?" She whispered to him. A small sliver of light filtered through the boulders and lit his sliver eyes. He leaned closer and Mina closed her eyes just as he pressed his lips against hers. The touch was electrifying. Her passions flared to life and she gasped at the heat of it. Never in her life was a kiss so intense. He was making her want to toss aside the rule to wait until she was married to make love. She moaned. Who made the rules anyway? Her hands came up and buried into his wet hair, twirling the strands around her fingers. His tongue darted into her mouth...  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
Mina snapped abruptly out of her memories, aware that Kunzite was watching her intently. She let out a breath and shook off the wave of desire that assaulted her and smiled.  
  
"Yes. Shocking." He murmured.  
  
"You know what? I think we would have done something a little too early if Serenity hadn't come." She said breezily and tucked her feet under her. Kunzite's face turned sour.  
  
"It was partly her fault too. If she hadn't interrupted us then I wouldn't have a scar on my leg." He said, tapping his old wound. Mina giggled, and put a hand up to her mouth. She had to keep quiet, she didn't want to wake up the others.  
  
"Well she was worried about us."  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
They were so wrapped up in their kisses that at first, they didn't hear someone clearing their throat. It was only after Serenity said a word that they stopped and looked out to the little entrance of the rocks. The princess was crouched down looking at them with a little blush. Mina felt calloused hands slip from her breast and she flushed.  
  
"We were just ahhh..." She began, licking her swollen lips.  
  
Serenity shook her head. "Think nothing of it Mina. The storm is over. Perhaps you two can come out. Your mother has been asking about you." She stood up and stepped aside. Mina let out a little laugh and lifted herself out from under Kunzite. He handed her clothes to her and she jerked on her wrinkled overdress. Silently she made her way out of the boulders and stood up. Kunzite followed her out and then stiffened.  
  
"Prince." He said rigidly and bowed. Prince Endymion stood by Serenity's side with a blank expression on his face.  
  
"Prince Endymion, what happened between Lord Kunzite and I-" She began. She didn't want him to get into trouble. Who knew what kind of rules his guards went by or what punishment they could get if they broke the rules.  
  
"You don't need to explain yourself Mina. The Prince understands," Serenity paused and gave the Prince a look, "Anything can happen when desire takes over. Right?" She asked him. Mina saw that Endymion was a little miffed about being put on the spot. Anyone could read between the lines and get what Serenity was saying. Endymion's mouth thinned and he gave Serenity blazing eyes before he turned back to Kunzite.  
  
"We have to dress for dinner." He growled and turned around. Kunzite looked a little uneasy, but he gave Mina smile before turning and following his Prince.  
  
Serenity turned back and smiled at her. Mina smiled back. "I guess we have to use the back entrance of the Palace. Wouldn't want anyone seeing you in your rumpled state." She wiped a smudge of dirt off of Mina's cheek and giggled.  
  
Later, when dinner was over and night fell, Mina was fast asleep and in the middle of a very interesting dream when a loud thump woke her. Immediately, her warrior instincts leaped into play. Stealthily, she slipped out of her bed and moved silently around her bed. Her window was open and sheer amber curtains billowed in the light breeze. She slipped her hand under the feather mat of her bed and grasped the handle of a dagger. The sharp blade flashed in the moonbeams that rested in her room. She peeked around the corner of her bed and saw a large shadow hunched and moving to her bed. Moving quickly, she stood and raised the dagger, but the assailant sensed her, despite her quietness and caught her hand. She let out a gasp, and her leg shot out to trip him. He grunted and landed on a knee. Raye's suggested area to attack popped into her mind and she aimed for it, bit he moved last minute and she stabled him in the leg. He cursed and grabbed her hand.  
  
"Damn you Mina." He hissed. She stopped struggling and gasped.  
  
"Oh my god Kunzite!" She shrieked and pulled her dagger out of his leg. He groaned and she put a hand to his wound. "You should have told me it was you!" She cried, horrified at what she had just done.  
  
*Ami, come quick!* She fervently telepathed to her friend. When Ami did get the message, she brought the whole gang. Mina groaned. Did she have to bring them all?  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
"Good thing Ami was such a good healer." Mina said with a soft smile. After she had stabbed him she went to see him the week he was in recovery. It was a good thing they had to stay longer because after that, everything went down hill from that. Even looking at him now brought back how much she loved him. She gazed at him and locked eyes. Were things so different now? Could she fall back in love with him easier now?  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Raye exhaled loudly. He was so damn loud. Some things never change! She thought angrily and whipped the blankets off of her. She stepped over Lita and Ami and slipped out of the room. She ignored the soft murmurings coming from the living room and slipped into the boys' room and spotted him snoring away. How could they even sleep with noise like that!? She reached over and squeezed his nose shut. It was only seconds before he started coughing and gasping for breath. His eyes opened and like all the times in the past, filled with mirth and laughter.  
  
"Damn you Jadeite. Sleep on your stomach!" She hissed and hit him on the shoulder before leaving. But he grabbed her hand and jerked her back on the bed. He trapped her arms to the side of her as he wrapped his own arms around her shoulders.  
  
"You know I can't sleep on my back without you resting on top of me." He purred sleepily. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. In the past, she would always sleep on his back. To this day, that was still the most comfortable position to her. She would bury her face in the crook of his neck and all night, breathe in the unique smell of him.  
  
"Hey, if Serena and I have to stay apart tonight, you have to too." Darien muttered loudly, and buried his face in his pillow.  
  
"Serenity banned you from her bed." Jadeite replied. Darien groaned and gave him the finger, while pointing them out. Jadeite stood, lifting her off her feet.  
  
"What are you doing?" Raye hissed loudly.  
  
"Hey, keep it down!" Zoicite growled and lifted the covers over his head.  
  
"Yeah love, keep it down." He hummed in her ear. Goosebumps ran across her skin and her heart began to beat rapidly. He opened the door with his foot and exited, just as Kunzite was walking with Mina down the hall.  
  
"What are you two doing?" Mina asked slyly. Raye flushed and wiggled in Jadeite's embrace, but he only tightened his hold on her.  
  
"What are you two doing?" Raye shot back at them. Mina laughed.  
  
"Going back to bed." She said and waved to them, entering the room and closing the door with a soft click. Raye glared at the door. She just left me with HIM? Kunzite stared after her for a moment, a flash of something passing across his face.  
  
"Me too." He said and shuffled pass them to go into the room. Jadeite said a soft goodnight and then carried her into the front room. He plopped her down on the couch, and she tried to get away, but he dragged her back, this time, sitting first and then having her sit on his lap.  
  
"Let me go. I'm tired." Raye said, trying to be free of him.  
  
"No, we're going to talk first, love." He said and blew a piece of her hair out of his face.  
  
"About what?" She asked with a defeated sigh.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jadeite felt her loosen a little and he smiled.  
  
"You remember when we started sleeping together?" He began. Her shoulders tensed, but he ignored it and continued. "You remember how love- hate our relationship was right?" She nodded stiffly.  
  
"More hate that love though." She said. He nodded.  
  
"It was like than until we finally realized that we couldn't be with anyone else without longing for one another."  
  
"That's what you call jealousy?" She murmured.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
"You need to go now." Raye said and sat up, wrapping the blankets around her nude body and went into the washroom. Jadeite was left on the bed, naked, feeling the air hit his hot body.  
  
"Let me catch my breath first." He snapped. It was never enough for him. No matter how empty this relationship was, he could never get enough of her.  
  
"How long will it take?" She snapped back and he heard her pour water in a bowl.  
  
"I didn't bitch when you took your dear sweet time getting dressed last night." He growled and sat up. He grabbed his clothes off of the floor and pulled them on. Raye emerged dressed a red nightgown. Hot desire began to build up again and he narrowed his eyes. He could take her again in an instant.  
  
"It's almost morning and I have a busy day." She grabbed his boots and tossed them to him.  
  
"Don't worry Mars. I got what I needed from you." He snickered. She narrowed her eyes.  
  
"As did I." She shot back and snuffed out the candles. Jadeite watched her slip back into bed without giving him a second glance.  
  
The next morning he entered the dining room and saw that Princess Serenity and her court were just entering. His eyes immediately focused on Raye. She ignored him of course. That was the arrangements they made when they began their affair.  
  
"Ah Lord Jadeite. You're early." Lita said brightly and pulled out a chair to sit on.  
  
"Unlike some." Serenity muttered, looking past him. He turned and saw his Prince enter with the rest of their party. The Prince ignored her remark and sat across from her. As soon as they were all seated, the kitchen doors swung open and a heard of servants entered with their hands full of food.  
  
As they began to eat, he watched Raye beneath his lashes. But the more he watched her, the more he became enraged. He was a pretty laid back guy, always finding the humor in all things, but with Raye, damn, she was the only person who could get him so angry. She acted like she wasn't going through all the turbulent thoughts like he was. Like everything was normal. Like they weren't even sleeping together! As he finished that heated thought, her eyes jerked up, wide with shock.  
  
What was wrong with her? Raye's eyes widened more and she quickly looked around. She was acting strange.  
  
*This is not happening* He heard her. But her lips didn't move. It was his turn to look shocked. He didn't just hear her thoughts did he? Raye's lips parted and she stared at him like her world was going to end.  
  
*This is madness! Stay out of my thoughts!* She shot at him and busied herself with her eggs. *How could this have happened? I never shared telepathy with anyone besides my friends. How could he hear my thoughts? I can't keep secrets from him now. Damn, Jadeite, you better not be listening.* She hissed and took a loud slurp of her juice. *Oops*  
  
Raye looked at Princess Serenity in a sheepish manner. Serenity raised an eyebrow at her. *Sorry.* He heard her apologize.  
  
The new experience was vastly amusing, but disturbing as well. She was probably listening to him think these things right now. Her utensils slowed and she chewed slowly, locking eyes with him.  
  
*I'm going to get to the bottom of this Jadeite.* She told him.  
  
*Who are you going to ask?* He shot back at her. Raye looked to her side at Ami.  
  
*You don't need to worry about that. Until I can block you from my thoughts, keep out of them you hear me?*  
  
*What's the fun in that Mars? Our bond is special. Intimate even.* He purred right back and bit into a piece of warm sausage. Her face flushed at the word intimate and she narrowed her eyes.  
  
*Our agreement was to not mention our nighttime activities during the day. If you insist on doing so, than consider our arrangement finished* She told him icily. He smirked at her.  
  
*I didn't say it out loud Mars. Talk about rigid.* He muttered.  
  
*Don't talk to me anymore.*  
  
*But it's so fun Mars. No one can hear us. Our link is isolated to all.*  
  
*Shut up.*  
  
"Jadeite!" He broke away from his link.  
  
"What Nephrite?" He asked. Nephrite looked at him oddly.  
  
"That was the third time I said your name. Where did you mind go?" He asked in a little huff.  
  
*To last night when you screamed-*  
  
"I'm finished." Raye interrupted his thought and stood up sharply. Serenity glanced at Raye's plate and then back up to Raye.  
  
"But you barely ate anything." She perceived with a frown.  
  
"I'm not hungry. May I be excused?" She asked, drumming her fingers on the back of her chair. Serenity nodded slowly and Raye left.  
  
*Stay out of my mind!* She yelled at him. The thought was so loud that his head began to hammer. Everyone watched her disappear outside.  
  
"I wonder what's the matter with her." Mina murmured thoughtfully.  
  
"Maybe she didn't sleep well." Lita suggested with a shrug. Jadeite had to smile. I bet she slept like the dead when I was finished with her he thought cockily.  
  
*Don't be stupid you jerk.* Her sharp remark cut into what he was thinking and he choked on his food. Zoicite began pounding on his back. He could feel Raye's feline like smile.  
  
*I hope you die on that food.* She said sweetly.  
  
*Bitch.* He sucked in a breath.  
  
"Don't inhale your food." Kunzite said dryly. Jadeite coughed one more time.  
  
"Are you alright?" Serenity asked. He nodded and pushed his plate away.  
  
"We were trying to ask you if you wanted to stay here tonight. The Queen is throwing a party to welcome some Royalty. The Mars royalty are looking for a suitor for their daughter and this one could be a possible match." Nephrite said. A match for Raye? Like anyone could survive being married to her. He heard a hiss and knew Raye was listening to his thoughts intently.  
  
"That sounds like fun." He answered. Yeah, fun to see the poor Prince be mowed down by Raye the spitfire. He couldn't wait to see how she would treat the poor unsuspecting man.  
  
*You'll never know.* The way she replied pulled a curiously new feeling in his chest.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
"I never knew at that time I could ever be jealous. But that night, you proved me wrong love."  
  
"Right, how could anyone like you be jealous?" She snickered. But she remembered that night as well. That feeling was to be shared when the party was in full swing. Her parents thought that they needed to find her a husband. But she wasn't about to bow down to marital bliss as they put it, so easily. If her parents ever found out that she had slept with anyone before getting married, she could lose the throne. But her one affair was locked up tight, thanks to Serenity's mind wipe ability. But the affair she had started with Jadeite was nothing she planned on doing. It just happened.  
  
The sexual tension between them was something she couldn't fight. And she didn't. She thought that if she had him, her hunger would dissipate. How wrong she was. It was hard to pull herself away from him after they had finished. If she could, she would have stayed all day and night and then some, in bed.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
Parties were always dull to her. Her hopeful parents had trotted out the Prince and she dismissed him in a second. He wasn't...NO! She stopped herself before finishing her thought. HE could hear it.  
  
She looked around quickly, but he was no where in sight. Maybe his mind was elsewhere. Ami and Zoicite were talking quietly next to the punch table, Mina and Kunzite were dancing, totally engrossed with one another and Lita and Nephrite were arguing over the food and she was stuck here by herself, listening to the boring Prince. Not that he was ugly or anything. Prince Dreadwood had beautiful crystal green eyes with dark curly hair, the color of copper. He was fit too. His royal ensemble molded to his body in just the right places.  
  
"Would you like to go out on the terrace?" He offered. Raye smiled and nodded.  
  
He grasped her elbow gently and led her outside. Cold air rushed to greet them and she shivered. "Cold?" He asked and took off his coat, draping it over her shoulders.  
  
"The Moon Kingdom is beautiful." He commented, looking out into the distance.  
  
"Yes. It is."  
  
"I don't get it." He started. Raye frowned.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I don't get how someone as beautiful as you isn't married yet." He said with a wide smile.  
  
Raye laughed. "Why aren't you married yet?" She asked him. He sighed and turned back to the night sky. Something was troubling him and she knew what it was. "Your parents didn't think she was suitable?" She asked gently. He shook his head.  
  
"She's not as rich as they think she should be." He admitted with a tired sigh. Raye didn't know what to say to him. He was obviously in love with whomever his parents didn't deem suitable. But she could see where they were coming from too. He had to bring a good match to his homeland to make his kingdom strong.  
  
Someone giggled in the terrace across from them and Raye turned her attention to it. It was Mistress Avendale. She was a wealthy widow that slept with anything that came her way. And the person with her tonight was none other than a certain manwhore. Raye felt her anger bubble over. She stopped herself from cursing him. Instead, she reached out and grasped Prince Dreadwood's hand and gave it a little squeeze.  
  
"I'm sorry." She whispered to him and caught his gaze. Her eyes darkened and she parted her lips ever so slightly. It was a bold invitation that he took. Her hands dove into his hair, pulling him close to her.  
  
*Way better than Jadeite's kisses.* She thought with loud clarity. His response was instantaneous.  
  
*RAYE!* He yelled back at her and she broke away and looked around rather awkwardly. She cleared her throat and patted her hair.  
  
"I'm sorry. We should have never done that." She said, feeling guilty that she used the vulnerable Prince to make Jadeite jealous. "Forgive me, it's just that kissing is a way of comforting where I come from." A stupid lie, but he didn't know anything about traditions on her planet. The Prince nodded slowly and then smiled.  
  
"Forgiven. Should we go back inside?" He asked. She gave a quick glance to where she saw Jadeite earlier and then followed him inside. As soon as they were inside, he excused himself. She took her place beside her parents and waited until the party was over. It seemed to take forever for it to end, but in truth, she was in no big hurry. She knew that Jadeite would seek his revenge, whatever it was as soon as she was alone. She tried not to fidget in her chair, but his turbulent thoughts kept invading her mind. But she couldn't quite grasp what he was thinking. When the party was finally over, she crept into the hallway as soon as the doors opened, hoping she could sneak away. When she realized what she was doing she scolded herself. She was Sailor Mars, the keeper of the fires. And here she was, slinking around like a child. No matter what he did or what he said, it was his fault in the first place. If he hadn't been with Mistress Avendale, she would have never kissed the Prince.  
  
She parted from the throng of people and passed the guards posted at her wing. She was just about to enter her room when someone harshly grabbed the back of her dress. A little squeak escaped her mouth, but his other hand quieted her.  
  
"What do you think your doing?" Her protest was muffled behind his hands. He dragged her into her room and she resisted rolling her eyes.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing." He retorted coldly.  
  
"You're the one who started it. I saw you with Mistress Avendale" She elbowed him in the side and shouted. "Do you think that I could just let you play me the fool? No one ever disrespects me and you're no different. Consider or relationship terminated. Leave my room NOW!" She screamed and shoved him hard in the chest. He stumbled back a little, but rooted his feet to the floor. Angry tears burned her eyes and she blinked them back violently. She was not going to cry over this, she wasn't going to let him get to her like this. He was just a passing fancy. That's all. She bit back a whimper. That's all.  
  
"Raye it wasn't what you thought I swear!" He tried desperately to tell her. She wanted to believe him, but Mistress Avendale? How could she not think those things? She still didn't know why she and Jadeite were linked together, and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted not to think about it. He was the first one that could ever make her feel this way. This was supposed to be a passing thing, it could never last, it wasn't suppose to!  
  
"Why not?" He exploded. She sighted harshly and turned away from him. She hated the fact that he could just get into her mind. "Why can't we be more that just bed companions?"  
  
"Because I don't need anyone to be more that that. Love can make you vulnerable and make you do things that you wouldn't normally do. I like control of my life. I like knowing how far a relationship can go."  
  
"What's happiness if you don't know sadness?" He asked gently. His words rang so true, it burned right down to her core.  
  
"I just don't want to get hurt Jadeite. I don't think I'm strong enough to get over it." She whispered, her throat thick with emotion.  
  
"I would never hurt you Raye. Never." He said fiercely.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
"And I never did Raye. I loved you with every fiber of my being. I still do." He let her go and they both stood up. "I want you to remember my words as you sleep love." He said and kissed her on the cheek. Raye was left staring after him, a million emotions running through her. I would never hurt you?  
  
He was right, he never did. After that, they spent every waking moment together, fighting ever chance they got and making up in the next second. It was heaven, the feeling she had, like she was floating. She began walking slowly to the bedroom a soft smile on her lips. I wonder if it could be like that again.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena looked at all of her friends sprawled out on the floor. The moonlight shone into their room and shadows of the different furniture danced here and there. She brought her knees up tot her chin. Something whispered her to wake and here she was. Waiting.  
  
**Secrets seem to come back to life.** Serena perked up at that voice and looked around. But she knew it was coming from her head.  
  
"What do you mean?" She whispered.  
  
**Time is coming back to life. One by one, our protectors will fall back into the past** She whispered. Serena frowned. What was she talking about?  
  
**It will be a good thing. Soon, we will be taken and we can't do anything about it. We have to trust our friends to do the right thing.**  
  
"Where will we be going?"  
  
**I don't know just yet. But be prepared. We have to be prepared.** Her past self faded away and Serena let her go. Taking a deep breath, suddenly feeling tired and light headed, she closed her eyes for a second.  
  
Her past self was talking riddles. First about the scouts falling back into the past and then about being taken. She looked back down at her friends and unintentionally roamed through each of their minds. Brief flashes of dreams flashed in her head. When she came to Ami, she saw a picture as clear as day. She was dreaming about her and Zoicite. With her interest piped, Serena watched a past memory play out. About the time Ami and Zoicite were in the library, talking about some kind of book. Serena resisted the urge to roll her eyes and backed away, letting Ami have her privacy back.  
  
Maybe that's what her past self was talking about. The scouts falling back into the past meant that they were going to fall back in love with the guards. Serena shook her head thoughtfully and laid back down on her fluffy pillow. Ami was going to be the first to fall back into the past, and Serena smiled sleepily. Zoicite was a good match for her.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Darien punched his pillow, trying to get back to sleep, but his past self's words kept ringing in his head. He was talking riddles, saying that the past will come back and take the white moonlight, and then he said something about his guards playing an important role in retrieving it. He knew he was talking about Serena, but didn't Beryl want him? Unable to get comfortable, and moody that he had to sleep alone, he walked to his suitcase and opened it with a soft click and rummaged through his socks, taking a black satin little pocket pouch out. He emptied the contents in his hand and moved into the moonlight.  
  
He had two rainbow crystals, but he needed the other five. Zoicite had taken them and so far, she hadn't shown her face. As he rolled the gems in his hands, he looked outside at the ocean waves lapping gently on the shore. The waves were almost hypnotizing and soon, he felt his eyelids droop. Quietly, he climbed back onto the soft blankets and fell fast asleep.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Lita awoke to the tantalizing smell of sausage and coffee. In a trance, she sleepily sat up and kicked off her warm blankets. She stumbled into the hallway and let her nose guide her to the food. When she reached the kitchen, she saw Nephrite humming as he stirred the eggs in a skillet pan. He turned when he heard her sliding into a chair.  
  
"Well good morning sunshine. Care for a cup?" He asked and held out a steaming cup of coffee. She smiled and took it from him, trying not to flinch as their fingers brushed. He gave her a wink and turned back around. Faint memories floated in her mind. There was a time he had taken her to a secluded hunting cabin in Earth. After sleeping well into the morning after making love to one another, he always cooked breakfast. He was the one to introduce her to coffee.  
  
~*FLASHBACK*~  
  
It was a rare trip to Earth. One that could get her into big trouble if her parents ever found out. But she liked it on Earth. There was just something about the blue planet that fascinated her. The spirit of nature was strong here. Even stronger than the rainforests of Jupiter.  
  
She walked the worn paths of the forest she transported to and sprinted to a big tree. She looked up at the towering tree and felt a rush of excitement, but as she looked behind it, she saw an even better one. She went to that one instead and began climbing. The rough texture of the bark scraped against her skin, and she scraped her leg on a broken branch, but continued onward until she was as far up as she could get. The wind blew and tilted the wood, and she laughed softly, feeling the blast of cold air on her face. Birds flew right past her, so close, if she had reached out her hand her fingers would have brushed their feathers. She slid down a little and rested herself on a thick branch that she could easily lounge on. Suddenly, she heard something down below her. Interested to see what was going on, she climbed down a couple of branches and looked down. There was a rustling in the bushes and soon, a huge boar jumped through with a loud squeal. Lord Nephrite was right behind it, with a bow and arrow. She raised and impressed brow and watched as he stalked the boar. She didn't make a move, afraid that she would scare away his pray and bring attention to herself.  
  
He'll probably think I visited Earth just to see him she thought a little moodily. That damn man was so cocky. A small smile tugged at her lips. And she wasn't attracted to that was she? No, not at all.  
  
Or so she told herself.  
  
Stopping herself from getting into another argument with her conscious, she stealthily climbed down the tree. She saw his footprints embedded lightly on the mud floor. She followed the sound of the squealing bore, running nimbly over the fallen logs and through the bushes. When she saw him in sight, she quickly crouched down before he could see her. Peeking through the bushes, she saw him slowly walk toward the unsuspecting boar that stopped to get a bite to eat. Lita remained quiet waiting and watching to see what he was going to do. A tickling sensation kept bothering her leg and she brushed it away several times. Her fingers touched the annoying thing again, when finally the texture of it grabbed her attention. She quickly looked down and jumped up with a loud scream when she saw a huge black bug on her leg. She began jumping up and down, slapping her thigh to get the bug off of her. What kind of monsters do they have on Earth?! After the frightened bug dropped off her and ran away, she took a deep breath.  
  
"It was just a beetle". In her still somewhat frantic state, she swore she jumped a mile when he spoke to her. She looked up and saw that his face was just inches away from her. Her cheeks began to grow warm. Great, he just saw me act like a girl and he just caught me spying on him. Damn it she cursed her self and forced her body to stand tall.  
  
"It was a big bug." She muttered in a defensive tone and folded her arms.  
  
"You just cost me my hunt with your girlish screams." He told her, also folding his arms and looking down at her like a father would a child. Lita felt her anger stir. He WAS arrogant. I wish I could slam my fist into his smirk.  
  
"They were not girlish!" She shot at him with a defiant glare.  
  
"You sounded like a cat in heat". He shot at her and then smiled. "You could scream like that for me." He purred. Lita stared at him in shock. No man was ever so bold. Two can play like that she vowed.  
  
"I could scream louder." She murmured seductively and leaned in until she was inches from his face. His dark blue eyes darkened with lust. "But never for you." She snickered and pushed him away from her. She saw the fury in his eyes and smiled smugly.  
  
"You have to get me my boar now." He hissed.  
  
"Why should I?" She shot back, ticked that he was giving her orders.  
  
"You're the one who scared him away." He exploded. That was dinner. Lita heaved a sigh. This was a bad day to come to Earth. And she did cost him his meal even if it was a bloody accident.  
  
"I'll help you get another." She offered. Nephrite handed her a knife that was stuffed in his pants waist.  
  
"Then let's go." He told her and spun around. Lita tightened her hand on the hilt, resisting the urge to throw it at his back.  
  
"Damn cocky man." She muttered and followed him into the forest. The boar wasn't too far off. Together, the crouched behind a wide tree trunk and watched it eat, while looking around to see if he had lost his predators. Nephrite motioned her to the left and she slowly made her way behind another bush, making sure she didn't brush it and scare the pig off again. Through narrowed eyes, she watched Nephrite take his place opposite her. He brought his bow up with an arrow pulled back. Then as quick as lightning, the arrow sliced through the air and buried into its target. The boar reared up with a painful howl and Lita moved quickly and sliced its neck. She felt warm blood pour out of its wound and then, it was still. The dead animal slumped down on top of her. She tried to wiggle her way out from under it, but the thing seemed to weigh a ton.  
  
"A little help?" She snapped at Nephrite who was laughing at her. Her anger sparked her power and she raised a finger and aimed a bolt of electricity at him. His eyes widened and he ducked to the side just in time.  
  
"God woman! Are you mad?" He asked her from his place on the ground.  
  
"Get it off of me!" She shrieked at him and held up a warning finger.  
  
"All right!" He yelled back and stood up. His hands grasped the legs of the beast and he slung it over his shoulder making more blood splash on her. The damn man! She stood up and shook her leg to get blood flowing again. And look at him, making that damn animal seem like a bag of potatoes. Showing off his tantalizing muscles. Making his long hair sway in the breeze. She flexed her fingers, fighting the images of running her fingers through the length. Gritting her teeth, and shaking her out of her fantasies, she looked up at the skies and cursed.  
  
"What?" He turned around. Lita cursed more quietly.  
  
"There're no more clouds in the sky." She said. He looked at her strangely and looked up into the sky as well.  
  
"They moved out. The weather wizards said that they'll be gone until tomorrow." Lita's eyes widened.  
  
"Tomorrow?" She asked in an anxious voice. Nephrite shrugged.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked her.  
  
"I need the clouds to transport back home. And you're telling me that they won't be back until tomorrow?" She started panicking. It was one thing to leave home for an hour or two, but a whole day? Her parents were going to kill her! And there was another damned ball on the Moon again to honor some royalty from a far away galaxy the next night. She exhaled loudly, forgetting Nephrite there for a moment.  
  
"You're going to get in trouble." Nephrite teased her in a sing-song voice. Lita fought a smile, but it came anyway. He was acting like a little kid and it was adorable.  
  
WAIT! Adorable? She was calling him adorable? Come on, you can stay at the palace for the night. I'm sure the Prince won't mind. He motioned her along with a jerk of his neck and Lita followed. It was nightfall when they reached the Palace square. Lita looked around her, hoping no one recognized her. Nephrite turned onto a small road near the end of the village.  
  
"Why are we going here? Don't you live in the palace?" She asked him.  
  
"I do." He answered, still turned away from her. His long legs ate up the rotting stairs of an old house. Lita frowned. Despite the fact that she sympathized with the poorer people on Earth, she was use to the finer things. She couldn't help but feel a little hesitant about going in to this dilapidated house. Why was he here in the first place? He paused at the thick wooden door and knocked. Lita watched in curiosity as it opened. Warm yellow light spilled onto his earnest face.  
  
"Why Nephrite! I'm so glad you came to join me tonight!" A plump woman said with a smile on her withered face. Come in! Nephrite picked up the dead boar he dropped on the steps and followed her in.  
  
"Come on Lita." He called to her. She was a little miffed that he called her by her first name. They weren't on first name basis yet. And she hated the feeling that rolled off her when he said it. Almost like her name was meant to be said by him. Bothered by her turn of thoughts, she went inside to join him.  
  
"Ah you brought a friend!" The woman gushed and ran up to Lita. She was short, barely reaching Lita's shoulder. The radiance the small woman let off was wonderful. She felt totally relaxed in her presence. "I'm Maddy." She cheerfully introduced herself. Lita smiled.  
  
"Lita." She said. The woman laughed and ignored her outstretched hand. Instead, she hugged her and left Lita a bit winded.  
  
"A pretty name. The name of the Princess of Jupiter. Do you by any chance know her?" She asked. Lita bit her tongue and gave Nephrite a quick glance. He was busy putting the boar on the table. But she noticed he was listening.  
  
"No. How do you know of her? No one really knows the first names of the Princesses of the Alliance."  
  
The woman nodded. "Yes, but Nephrite told me all about her. How strong she was, how smart and pretty. My, I feel like I know her myself to tell you the truth." The woman said in a rush. Lita lifted an interested brow and looked at Nephrite, seeing his cheeks pink a little.  
  
"Was he?" She asked and sat down on a comfortable wooden bench in the living room.  
  
"Yes. It's so good to hear him speak of her with so much enthusiasm. Nephrite can be picky when it comes to women." She said.  
  
"Aunt Maddy." Nephrite protested, but his aunt waved off his warning with a fluttering hand.  
  
"I don't know why he doesn't court you dear. You're so beautiful." Maddy gushed. Lita smiled at the elderly woman, feeling butterflies take flight in her stomach.  
  
"Why thank you."  
  
"Because she's a pain in the ass Aunt. That's why." Nephrite answered. "She almost made me lose your boar tonight." Lita glared at him.  
  
"It was an accident. I helped you get it back didn't I?" She shot back.  
  
"Ah I just love the fire in you eyes!" Maddy exclaimed and giggled like a school girl. "You two would be just perfect together!" She exclaimed. Lita turned away and blushed. Like that would ever happen.  
  
"What are you cooking? It smells atrocious!" Nephrite exclaimed, wrinkling his nose at the fire where a medium sized cauldron pot hung. His Aunt rolled her eyes and went to join him.  
  
"Potatoes with garlic." She answered breezily. Nephrite looked disgustedly at the pot's contents. He spooned a little out and tasted it. His face turned sour.  
  
"It's gross. You boiled the potatoes for too long." He grumbled. His aunt simply laughed.  
  
"Well you came too late to fix it."  
  
"Because of someone." He gave Lita a pointed look and she glared right back. How many times was she going to have to apologize? She stood up and pushed him out of the way.  
  
"I'll fix it you big cry baby." She grumbled and turned to Maddy. "Where do you keep your spices?" She asked. Maddy scurried to a small cabinet and opened the door. Lita studied her spices, and picked a couple out. She put a little of this in and a little of that.  
  
"You're just going to make it worse." Nephrite grumbled. Lita ignored him and continued to add spices. After a while, she declared that dinner was fixed.  
  
"Ah I can't wait to taste it!" Maddy exclaimed and went to fetch some bowels and utensils. Lita sat down, across from Nephrite, and dipped her spoon in the soup. Nephrite eyed her.  
  
"Go ahead, taste it. If you survive after the first bit, then I'll eat it." Nephrite clasped his hands together and made a big scene of waiting. Lita resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at him. She spooned a big helping into her mouth. After she chewed slowly, she dipped her spoon back into her soup.  
  
"I'm such a good cook." She murmured. Maddy laughed gleefully and gladly ate her food. Nephrite ate as well, not saying anything about how good it tasted, but Lita knew. Lita and Nephrite didn't say anything to each other, by Maddy filled in for their lack of talk.After dinner, they left for the palace. He escorted her to an empty room.  
  
"If you need anything, I'll be right across the hall." He said with a yawn.  
  
"Is that an invitation?" She asked slyly.  
  
"Only if you want it to be." He shot back and left her alone. Lita sighed and began undoing the buttons of her dress. The day began wearing into her and she fought with the strings of her corset, but they were unwilling to loosen. Sighing, Lita plopped down on the bed. There was no way she could sleep with this thing on. Her eyes riveted to the door. Well, he said if I needed anything...  
  
She opened the door and stepped out into the dark hallway. Nephrite's door loomed in front of her, beckoning her closer. She knocked before she even knew what she was doing. She heard grumbling and shuffling, and soon, his door was whipped open. Her mouth went dry all of the sudden. He was wearing nothing except his undergarments. His well toned chest hovered in front of her.  
  
"Would you help me with this?" She asked and turned around, pointing to her corset strings.  
  
"What?" She heard surprise in his voice.  
  
"You said if I needed anything I should come to you. Well, I need help with this." She waited patiently; aware of the position she put him in. It was only seconds before she started feeling the gentle tugs of her dress. His hands moved swiftly, expertly to loosen the strings and he was finished in seconds.  
  
"That was fast." She began and gave him a sultry look over her shoulder. "Your hands must work magic." She purred, loving the darkness in his eyes. She left him without another word. It was fun to flirt with him. Sliding into bed, she snuggled up to her pillow. She had to be bright and fresh tomorrow morning to return home before her parents caught her. Dark blue eyes danced in her dreams.  
  
The next morning, someone rudely shook her awake. She tried to slap them away, but the inconsiderate person just grabbed her wrists and pulled her to sitting position. Her sleepy eyes blinked, trying to wake.  
  
"Go away!" She moaned and kicked out her legs. "Serenity, why do you have to wake up so early?"  
  
"Lita, wake up, it me."  
  
Lita forced her eyes open. "Nephrite? What are you doing in my room?" He chuckled. When she heard that she bolted up.  
  
"What time it?" She cried and scrambled out of bed. He pulled her back down.  
  
"Don't worry, we have plenty of time." He assured her. "Get dressed, we'll head out as soon as possible. Lita nodded and shooed him out. She grabbed her green dress and pulled it on. Without her corset, it clung to her like a second skin, but she didn't notice. When she was finished, she met Nephrite outside. He had a small cup with him and he handed it to her. She gazed into the brew and frowned.  
  
"What is it?" She asked, smelling it. It was a bitter-sweet smell.  
  
"It's called coffee. Only the Palace has it. The bean is rather rare and from an exotic place. But it perks you up rather well. It'll give you enough energy to transport back."  
  
She took a sip and then spit it out all over him. "Ahh, disgusting!" She cried out.  
  
"Damn it Lita, look what you did!" He shot at her a frustrated look.  
  
"Well, it's gross!" She protested, trying to hold in her laughter. He pulled the cup back under her mouth.  
  
"Drink it." He ordered. Grumbling about being ordered about, she took a deep breath and held it, downing the bitter brew. He took the cup from her as soon as she was finished and patted her on the shoulder.  
  
"Good girl. Now lets get going."  
  
He was right. An unknown energy made her skip all the way to the forest.  
  
"Thank you Nephrite for taking me here. You're so nice. Do people always tell you you're nice? They should. I think that if everyone says something nice to one another each day. It would make the day brighter. I think that's going to be a new goal for me. To say thank you. Thank you trees! Thank you sky! Thank you air. Thank you--hey!" Nephrite put a hand over her mouth.  
  
"Okay, I think nature gets it. Here you are." He said. Lita giggled and summoned her power. At the last minute, before she shot into the air, she leaned in quickly and gave him a hard kiss on the mouth.  
  
"Thank you Nephrite! You're so handsome!" She called out and then she was home.  
  
~*END FLASHBACK*~  
  
Lita took a sip of her sweetened coffee and smiled. After she had kissed him and finally realized what she had done, it was like a new beginning for her. He never objected, nor mentioned that kiss. Despite the fact she was wired, she meant that kiss and she never told him. As she watched him stir the contents in the pan, she wondered if she would ever tell him.  
  
| | 


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Well, at least it I didn't take as long as the last time! Thank You all for your wonderful reviews! I think that last chapter had the most and I'm so grateful for all you encouraging comments. Unfortunately, something is wrong with my Editor's computer because she has yet to get back to me with the edited version of this chapter, however, I have updated my previous chapters with her edited versions. Hope you all enjoy this one!  
  
Chapter 13  
  
"It's time." Pluto said, her voice bouncing off the swirling walls. She watched as a dark shadow crossed over the spirit Queen's face.  
  
"Everything is happening so fast Pluto. I don't know if I can bear to see Serenity faced with such opposition." She whispered with a heartbroken tone. Pluto's passive face softened and she put a comforting arm around the petite woman.  
  
"Serenity is stronger than she looks. And she has the protection of the others. Their bond is strong." She said in a soothing voice. But the shadows of her worry still darkened the Queens light blue-purple eyes and she said nothing. Pluto tightened her free hand on her rod and looked at the image of Serenity and Endymion arguing. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but then it faded. She hated to admit it, but she was a scared as the Queen was. If anything ever happened to Serenity, she didn't know what she would do.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"It' your fault you had such a bad night." Serena snapped back and slammed her cup on the table. Chocolate milk splashed over the side. "So don't take it out on us." She told the rude man standing over her with irritated dark blue eyes.  
  
"I was only taking it out on you meatball head." He snapped back. Serena narrowed her eyes and snatched her milk off the table. If she spent another moment with him, she was sure her milk would be all over his face in no time.  
  
"You two still argue about everything." Kunzite muttered and gathered his dishes off the table to put them in the sink.  
  
"Shut up." They both said together and then clashed heated gazed.  
  
*That's what you get for not giving me back my bathing suit.* Serena shot at him, knowing full well why he was in such a bad mood.  
  
Darien let out a little growl.*What makes you think its about that?*  
  
*If not, then what was it?* She asked. His mouth thinned and he didn't have an answer. Serena smirked. *That's what I thought*  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Ami was outside, sketching the landscape when a piercing scream could be heard. The sounded startled her and she bolted off the park bench.  
  
"Ami! Are you okay?" Zoicite was at her side in an instant, looking over her from heat to toe for injury.  
  
"It wasn't me." She said in a breathless tone and reached for her bag on the ground. Zoicite watched in fascination as the little computer whizzed and beeped.  
  
"What is that?" He asked. They never had that kind of technology before.  
  
Another scream caught the radar, and the computer pinpointed the source. It was coming from a little beach port, not to far away. She and the others had gone there on several occasions. She flipped the computer closed and grabbed Zoicite's hand, pulling him along with her.  
  
"We need to tell the others." She said and ran back to the beach house.  
  
When she got back, she interrupted Raye and Jadeite's argument. "A yomen?" Raye asked.  
  
"I think so, we need to go." She said hastily and pulled out her changing wand. All together they transformed.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Raye demanded, when Jadeite began running with her.  
  
"To help." He said. The girls all stopped.  
  
"No you're not." Mina protested.  
  
"What? Why not?" Nephrite bellowed in outrage.  
  
"They don't know you're here. You need to stay secret. If they know about you, then they'll know one of us is the princess and we'll be in more danger." Lita told him calmly.  
  
"Why does Endymion get to go?" Kunzite countered, looking at his prince in his costume.  
  
"I have to get the other crystals from Zoicite. I was a part of this long before you came." He said.  
  
"It's for the best you guys." Ami suggested sending Zoicite a guarded look.  
  
"We're wasting time! Stay here!" Raye ordered and they all fled to the battle.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The guys watched opened mouthed as they all left them behind.  
  
"The nerve of them!" Nephrite bristled.  
  
"Did I ever listen to Raye?" Jadeite said in a speculating manner, looking at the retreating figures.  
  
"Not that I remember." Zoicite piped in with a smile. They looked at one another and then ran after them.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Zoicite had another yomen poised for attack on a helpless woman when they ran interference.  
  
"It's been a while." Zoicite hissed with a sour smile.  
  
"Just like old times huh?" Venus said brightly and aimed an attack at the monster.  
  
"And Tuxedo Mask, I assume you're here to hand over the crystals?" She snickered, ignoring Venus's remark.  
  
"We have all the crystals. Why are you attacking these innocent people?" He demanded.  
  
"To bring you out you idiot!" She said with a roll of her eyes. The monster roared and blasted another attack at them. "Besides, I was getting bored. You weren't trying to get a hold of me for the crystals." She said in a pout.  
  
"Well here I am. What do you purpose we do?" He asked with folded arm.  
  
Serena shivered. That was right, Darien had the other crystals. She needed to help him get them all. Whatever power those crystals could do, they needed them for the battle that was soon to come.  
  
~Soon we will be taken, and we can't do anything about it~ Why was that thought screaming in her mind?  
  
The scouts all threw an attack at the monster, but it countered with its own attack and threw them back.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
They guys all arrived at the battle just as the monster countered with an attack. Nephrite watched as Lita was pushed back by the power and stood to help her, but Zoicite restrained him.  
  
"Not yet, we have to see what the situation is first." Grudgingly, he crouched back down behind an overturned car.  
  
"I don't see the Prince anywhere." Kunzite noted scanning the area and wincing as Mina took another hit. But he saw the determination in her face, mixed with anticipation.  
  
"Wait here, I think I saw them off to the side." Zoicite whispered and left them. He made his way around a corner of a building and into the shadows.  
  
"Zoicite, what are you doing?" Zoicite spun around at the voice. A tall figure dressed in white stepped close to him.  
  
"Kunzite, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay put." Why was he wearing different clothes? He looked past the man that looked like his friend and saw that the others, including Kunzite were peering over the corner.  
  
The Kunzite look-alike put a hand on Zoicite's face caressing his cheek. Zoicite was rooted to the spot, too shocked and confused to move.  
  
"Why are you dressed like that love?" He asked in a cold, almost loving voice. "Tricking the enemy?"  
  
Zoicite nodded slowly, deciding to play along. He watched wide eyed at he leaned down and planted a kiss on his lips. "See you later." He said and flashed away. When he was gone, Zoicite let out a cry of repulsion and ran around, desperately wiping his mouth, and the feel of those cold lips off his own.  
  
The sound must have alerted the scouts because in the midst of his screaming about the kiss, he heard Mars yelling at Jadeite for disobeying her.  
  
"Zoicite are you okay?" Mercury asked him.  
  
"He kissed me! Kunzite kissed me!" He howled and began gagging.  
  
"You did?" Venus asked a dumbfound Kunzite, looking oddly at him.  
  
"Hell no I didn't! The other one did! Ughh, how can you ask me something like that?" He roared with red cheeks. Venus couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger, but all in all, she thought it was rather amusing.  
  
"You must have met the evil Kunzite then. He must have mistaken you for the evil Zoicite. They're an item." Jupiter said with a giggle.  
  
Kunzite and Zoicite looked at one another. "Uhhh!" They said and looked away. Kunzite cupped Venus's face and gave her a thorough kiss, leaving her dizzy and winded.  
  
"Well..." Zoicite began and did the same to Mercury.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Mars demanded seeing her friends reeling from the kisses.  
  
"To establish that I only like women!" Kunzite said.  
  
"Me too!" Zoicite countered. An awkward silence followed, with both men unable to look at one another.  
  
"Where is Tuxedo Mask?" Serena asked, searching the battle ground for him.  
  
"We don't know. We were looking for him before..." Zoicite didn't finish the sentence.  
  
A blasting sound echoed off the chipped buildings. They found Darien and the evil Zoicite battling. A scream caught in Serena's throat when she saw a final blow poised at Darien's chest, but Darien rolled away last minute. The tension in her stomach made her feel nauseated and she had to forced back the bile in her throat before she spewed it all over Mars. Her heart beat was rapid, and when a flash invaded her seeing, she struggled to stay standing. This is not right, it not! She looked around, blinking to clear her vision. Something was happening, but she didn't know what.  
  
"Where are the crystals?" Mars yelled out and they stopped fighting a little. They both circled each other.  
  
"Kunzite took them." Tuxedo Mask yelled out. Serena and the others looked around and saw the man off to the side, gazing at the sparkling gems twirl in midair in front of them. The sight made her head hurt and she looked away jut in time to see a hidden black magic blade slice through the air right at Darien.  
  
She let out a scream and he turned just as it hit him. The blade slit his side and he dropped to the ground.  
  
"NO!" She shrieked and ran to him, fighting off her scouts hands to hold her back.  
  
"Come back!" She heard Jupiter cry out, but the voice was distant. Instead, she ignored them and ran to the fallen Tuxedo Mask.  
  
"You should have waited for us!" She cried through her tears.  
  
"I had to free you Serenity, and this is the only way." He whispered. Serena kissed his head.  
  
"Are you okay?" She asked with a thick tongue, trying hard not to sob. She felt him nod.  
  
"Just a cut, I'll be fine." She looked up at a gloating Zoicite with ice cold malice in her eyes.  
  
"Such hate in you eyes Sailor Moon. It's easy to end both of your lives right here." She threatened and opened her hand. A new blade of black ice was in her hand and she raised it. An overwhelming urge to protect Darien gripped her very soul. The sickness she was feeling intensified and she twisted her head to gag. What was going on? Heat began to build in her chest, so blinding hot, all she could was let out a little whimper. "Serenity, what are you doing to us?" She whispered, feeling weak. She tightened her hold on Darien.  
  
"Sailor Moon, are you okay?" He asked in an alarmed voice.  
  
"Die!" Zoicite shrieked. Soon, the sickness passed and she felt power building. A strong power.  
  
"Zoicite look!" The evil Kunzite cut into her attack and Zoicite gave him an annoyed look for disturbing her fun. But soon, her green eyes widened at the sight. The dancing crystals began to grow bright and soon, they turned into little wisps of light. Each light flew around their heads, but it was Serena who beckoned them to her. Each one swirled together right in front of her eyes and created a vibrant white ball.  
  
**It is time for us to shine!** Her past self whispered excitedly at her and soon she could hear Luna gasp.  
  
"The Imperium Silver Crystal!"  
  
In the darkest corner of her young soul, hidden behind the faintest star, Serena could feel her past self grow stronger. It was like her whole being was complete now. She closed her eyes and saw colors of the crystal swirl. It was heaven she thought fuzzily.  
  
It seemed to last forever, but in reality, only mere seconds had ticked by. Enough time for the evil Kunzite and Zoicite to grip what had just happened. They looked at one another totally forgetting the others.  
  
"I must complete my mission." Zoicite hissed and charged after the couple still seated on the ground. But just as she was getting ready to deliver the final blow, Serena's eyes snapped opened and zeroed in on her. She raised the crystal and before she knew it, Zoicite was sailing back and hitting the back wall with a loud thump. Angered, even more, Zoicite started after her again, feeling the familiar feeling of blood lust pound in her head. But again, she was hit back, by a more powerful hit.  
  
"Stop it Zoicite!" Kunzite called out to her, but she ignored him.  
  
Serena lifted the crystal one more time, tapping into her last source of energy and hit her again. This time, she knew it would be the last time. Sleepiness invaded her mind, and she could faintly hear Kunzite's cry of outrage and pain as Zoicite fell to the ground.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Zoicite winced at the female version of himself hit the ground. Kunzite ran after her and lifted her head, cradling it lovingly in his arms. They whispered words to one another, but then Zoicite's hand fell to her side, and he knew she was dead.  
  
"No, Zoicite! Don't leave me!" The man cried over her body.  
  
Meanwhile, Kunzite looked at his Mina and let those words echo in his mind. He had said those words when he was trapped in the crystal Beryl put him in, making them suffer as she showed each one of the scouts fight in the end battle. He had wanted to look away when Mina fell to her knees when a yomen impaled her with a sword, but her power didn't let him. He had to watch at the light in her blue eyes faded away, and blood burbled in her mouth before she fell forward. The memory brought back painful tears he had to wrap his arms around her to assure himself he was still there. When the evil Zoicite faded into nothing, Kunzite stood up and looked at all of them with hatred burning in his eyes.  
  
"You will die for what you've done to her!" He howled and electric blue magic began forming in his hand.  
  
"Stop!" A powerful voice boomed, making the ground shudder. The evil Kunzite looked up and saw a figure emerge from a purple portal. Immediately, he dropped to one knee as his master set foot on the ground.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Darien gripped Serena tighter in his arms at watched as the evil Queen approached them.  
  
"Beryl!" Luna hissed. But the little cat was helpless to do anything for the Queen erected a shield over them. Even the scouts had to watch at the Queen smiled and locked eyes with Darien.  
  
"She has grown more powerful than I had expected. But you Princess has yet to learn how to control them." She opened her hand and a spell was created, and Serena, in her weaken state was pulled away from Darien's embrace. He bolted up, ignoring the screaming pain.  
  
"I'm the one you want! Leave her alone!" Beryl looked pointedly at him and let out a cackle.  
  
"You Prince Endymion?" She asked in disgust. "It was never you I wanted. Why would I want someone with such weak power? The only reason I went after you is because, combined, you and Serenity created a power far more powerful that I had. But both of you were too blind to see it." She paused and looked at the sleeping princess. "Now half of your power is gone." She said with a quiet gloat.  
  
"What is she doing?" Venus cried when a second Serena was emerging from the one that was asleep.  
  
"She's taking Serenity!" Nephrite told them, remembering Beryl did the same to them. When she had captured him, she halved his soul, taking a part of him away, the evil side. That's how she created their copies. But when his evil self was defeated, and he was whole again, he was able to break out of his crystal tomb just as Jadeite did before him. At that time, they didn't know what had happened, but when Pluto found them, and freed them, she had told them what had happened. He looked quickly at Zoicite. He just got his other half back he wondered how he was doing. Getting part of yourself back was an overwhelming feeling because you had to get use to it again. Part of you was gone for a long time and over that time, you got use to it. Kunzite was the only one left. And now, she was doing it to Serenity, the only thing was, he was taking all of Serenity. She was separating Serena and her past self! This was bad, really bad.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Serena forced her eyes open. The sight in front of her was blurred, but she saw a see-through person, who looked just like her floating right before her. She looked like she was asleep and she tried to touch her, but her fingers pass right through. It was the last thing she saw before she fell back asleep as well, never hearing her past's self plea and her friends turning back into their civilian selves before, they too, fainted in the arms of the guards.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"My baby!" The spirit Queen cried and put a distressed hand up to her mouth to cover her whimper.  
  
"You know this had to come." Pluto told her with a soothing stroke of her hair.  
  
"I know, but I can't help but feel..." She broke away and sniffed back her tears.  
  
"I know. But they'll get through this."  
  
Queen Serenity forced herself to look at the screen and saw the scouts falling. "But this wasn't supposed to happen." She whispered and turned to Pluto with wild eyes and pointed to the image. "This wasn't supposed to happen!" She cried.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
AN: Well, that's the end of this chapter. Planning for a climax of a story is kinda hard, but I'm up to the task. Sorry it's so short, anyway hope you enjoyed. REVIEW! Love you all kisses *muh* 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
  
Darien felt weak. He looked at Beryl ascending back into the darkened sky with Princess Serenity's entity trying to reach out for him. If he had control of his body, he could have threw a rose at Beryl, but unfortunately, the kidnapping of his wife made Prince Endymion take over. So he was left seated in the passenger seat, strapped down, unable to help the Serena he was holding.  
  
"Bring her back!" The hoarse demand was actually a plea that Beryl ignored. "Serenity! Serenity! Wait for me!" He screamed. Darien flinched at the intensity of his loss vibrating in his being. In his already scarred heart, another place dark in his heart dimmed even more.  
  
"I failed. I failed my wife." Endymion said in a raw whisper and retreated back. "My Serenity, my beloved wife. I failed you." And then he was silent and Darien regained control of his body once more. He shook his head and struggled up, picking Serena up in the process. Ignoring the pain in his side and looking behind him, he tried to see what his guards were moaning about. What he did see were limps scouts back in their civilian clothes.  
  
This wasn't suppose to happen A shaky echo made him turn around suddenly he almost had whiplash. Where did that come from?  
  
"Did you hear that?" He asked. The guards exchanged looks. Curious about their sudden silence, he looked closely at them.  
  
"Well?" He barked.  
  
"Yes." Zoicite finally said after a tense pause.  
  
"Who was it?" He demanded. And again the guards exchange secret messages between themselves. "This is no time to keep secrets from me. If you know something that I don't then tell me!" He bit out, stalking toward them.  
  
"Maybe we should get back to the house before anything is said." Luna cut in, looking worriedly at the girls. Artemis nodded emphatically and they started back.  
  
"I think I've waited patiently. I want you to tell me why you're here." Darien said, pacing in front of the full couch of guards. They had put the girls in bed after Zoicite told them they needed to sleep off whatever happened to them. Their pulses were good and they suffered no damage. Darien had wrapped a bandage around his side, and after popping a few pills, he was coping with the pain.  
  
"Believe me my Prince, if we knew everything we would tell you." Jadeite began. Darien folded his arms and connected gazed with every single one of them, making them shift in uneasy.  
  
"Then tell me what you do know." He said a bit calmer. Zoicite took a deep breath and began. He told them about how they were trapped in the crystals and how Sailor Pluto had found them.  
  
"She was acting a bit strange. She would leave the room and then reappear, as if she was talking to someone. She said when the time was right she would contact us with a sign or something." Kunzite trailed off, looking up at the ceiling.  
  
"But we have no idea what kind of sign we should be looking for. Sailor Pluto holds a lot of secrets, but I do know she cares for the Princess. And the voice we heard a while ago wasn't her." Zoicite said.  
  
"Come to think of it, that voice is strangely familiar." Darien said, putting a troubled finger to his chin. There was a prolong silence, soon broken by Luna running into the room.  
  
"They're awake!" She cried out with relief. No sooner were the words said when the guards bolted out of the couch, crowding their way to the back room. Darien went as well, after all he was worried about Serena.  
  
"What happened?" Raye asked groggily, putting a hand to her head and wincing. Jadeite sat on the bed and pulled her into a warm embrace. Darien saw Raye hesitate for a moment, but soon she was leaning into his arms.  
  
"We don't know just yet. We were wondering if you could tell us." He said softly.  
  
"Ami?" Zoicite asked gently and Ami closed her eyes for a moment, trying to think.  
  
"We were watching Beryl, and then, everything went black. It was if our powers drained from our bodies." She said weakly. Zoicite tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Where is Serena?" Mina asked, bolting up. Her face blanched and she moaned. Kunzite cradled her head and placed it on his shoulder.  
  
"Don't move so suddenly love, you're still weak." He told her gently.  
  
"But where is she?" She asked again. Her eyes opened and she caught Darien's gaze.  
  
"She's not up yet. Luna and Artemis said it would take a while for her to recover." He explained uneasily looking at Serena's still figure under blankets. He watched as her chest rose and fell in a shallow manner. He leaned down and put an ear to her chest. The soothing sound of her heartbeat strengthened him and then he stood back up.  
  
"She should be okay by morning. There's no need to worry." Luna said quickly to assure the girls. But Darien heard the worry in her voice.  
  
"God, I wish I knew what happened." Lita said with a sigh.  
  
"There is only one way to find out." Darien said solemnly looking pointedly at each guard.  
  
"But—" Jadeite started only to be cut off.  
  
"No, I want to know. They," He motioned to the girls. "deserve to know."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Raye demanded, giving Jadeite a heated gaze. But he had no answer.  
  
"We don't even know if she'll come." Nephrite said feebly, caressing Lita's hand.  
  
"You have to try. We're going into battle blind and she knows what's going on."  
  
"Who?" Mina asked looking around.  
  
"But my Prince..." Kunzite tried again.  
  
"Your Prince has withdrawn himself into an abyss of despair and loneliness. If I can't contact that part of me, I'll be no use to you or my wife!" He said, growing angrier by the moment. He didn't even know he called Serena his wife until Lita spoke.  
  
"You're wife?" She echoed in disbelief.  
  
"Whoa, wait a minute, when did Serena become your wife?" Raye demanded.  
  
"I think we got all our memories back, and I don't recall ever knowing that you two were married." Ami said in surprise, looking at Zoicite for answers.  
  
"It was the night before the Moon Kingdom was attacked." Darien said softly, retrieving that memory from his past self.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
It was dark when the ceremony finished. Endymion gave Elios, protector and high priest of his Kingdom a slight nod of his head. The young boy bowed lowly, his snow white hair catching the beams of moonlight.  
  
"I bless you My Prince with happiness and prosperity in your days to come." He said in a somber manner and then disappeared back into the temple.  
  
"It is done." He breathed and looked down at his new bride, standing stiffly at his side. This troubled him and he touched her shoulder.  
  
"Serenity? Do you regret our actions tonight?" He asked, trying to keep the tremor out of his tight voice. Serenity looked up to the sky.  
  
"Do you believe in forever my love?" She asked after an edgy silence. He tried not to frown when he looked at her.  
  
"I believe in eternity Serenity. Do you want to know why?" He asked reverently, taking her slender hands and kissing her knuckles, feeling the cold diamond on her finger caress his cheek.  
  
"Why?" She asked, gazing into his eyes.  
  
"Because I believe in you, love, that's why." A soft smile broke out on her lovely face and she leaned in and kissed him lightly on his bottom lip.  
  
"When you say that, I think I can believe in eternity too."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"We were going to tell you the night when the Kingdom was attacked. But it was tricky to get inside the Palace after Queen Serenity blockaded the moon. When I finally did managed to get through, Serenity and I went directly to the cave. She was followed and we had words with her mother. She used a binding spell to keep us together. I don't think she knew that it would ever become activated. After the spell was finished, the first wave of Beryl's forces invaded."  
  
"But she would have told us right?" Mina demanded. He laughed, knowing that Mina hated to be left out of the loop when it came to important information concerning her friends' love life.  
  
"If we can please, get back to business." Raye said with a sigh.  
  
"Tell us who you're talking about." Lita said, connecting eyes with Nephrite. It was an old trick she used when she wanted information from him. There was no way he could tell her a lie when he looked into her beautiful green eyes.  
  
"Sailor Pluto?" He offered casting a sheepish smile to the sputtering guards.  
  
"Nephrite!" Jadeite hissed. Raye gave him a critical look and then slapped his arm.  
  
"Who's she?" She asked with a bit of jealously in her voice. Jadeite rubbed his arm and glared at her.  
  
"She's the Sailor Scout of Rebirth." Zoicite said with Jadeite nodding emphatically.  
  
"Sailor Scout?" Lita asked with a frown. But then Nephrite saw their little light bulbs turn on over each one of their heads and Ami nodded slowly, pushing the blankets off of her legs.  
  
"Yes, I remember her. She is the oldest scout and protector over the outer planets with Saturn, Neptune and Uranus."  
  
"Excuse me? How come I never heard of them before now?" Darien prodded with a bit of irritation.  
  
"Yeah, we never knew about them until we met Pluto." Jadeite said.  
  
"They didn't like coming to the inner planets even at the Queen request. They liked to live on the outside. It was their duty to protect the Sliver alliance. They were given stronger powers than us." Ami said.  
  
"But where are the others?" Kunzite asked. They all shrugged.  
  
"I guess they weren't found yet." Lita said.  
  
"So it was Pluto that sent you? Why did you have to keep it a secret?" Darien asked.  
  
"We don't know." Kunzite said with growing annoyance. All these questions and they didn't even know half of the answers to them. They were as dumfounded as the Prince. But there was something, in the way she said things, the way she acted that made him believe that it was kept from him for a reason that they couldn't understand. However, on the other side of things, if they had known whatever she knew, maybe they would still have Serenity.  
  
"We'll try to get a hold of her." Jadeite offered.  
  
"Even if we don't really know how to do that." Nephrite muttered.

Ami slipped out of her room and tiptoed over the girls sprawled out on the floor. Stealthily, she made her way across the hall into the room that was shared by Serena and Darien. So far, she hadn't awoken. Luna had told her that she should be okay, but she wanted to make sure. Pulling out her computer, and covering the speaker, she took a small reading from her. The light from the small screen flashed dark and light as she scanned the reading. Everything seemed okay. Satisfied with her readings, she gently snapped closed the computer and stood up. Darien restlessly shifted to his side, putting a protective arm around Serena's waist. A pang of longing hit her for a moment, but she shook it away. It wasn't like to her want things that could wait. She had her future to think about. All her classes and extracurricular activities took all her time. And she didn't mind. After all, her future was pretty much set for her. Everything she wanted was waiting for her. Everything that is except...  
  
She sighed and slipped out side. She never really thought about boys until HE came back into her life. Sure she was like most girls, daydreaming about a handsome man coming and sweeping her off her feet, to his castle high in the clouds. Smiling whimsically, she shook her head. But that's all they were, daydreams. But now, after having most of her memories back, she wanted him back as well.  
  
She stopped dead in her tracks and realized what she just thought. Wanted him back? Butterflies erupted in her stomach. It was true, she DID want him back. But that was madness! She couldn't just jump into something as big as this. Could she? She frowned. Nothing really would be any different than what it would have been is she lived back on Mercury. As she thought about her home, she made her way down to the beach. Mercury was so blue and beautiful, no words could express how she felt about her homeland. The many lakes and rivers that crisscrossed all over. The blue of the trees and shrubs. Now looking at it now, no one would have ever thought that people actually lived on it. No one would have believed that the little planet catered to ice rather than molten lava, seeing how it's the closest planet to the sun. It always seemed like winter there, and the sky was always clear.  
  
Ami stopped when she felt the cold water lap over her bare feet. Ahh, the ocean. Looking all around her to make sure no one followed her outside. She crossed her arms in front of her.  
  
"Mercury bubbles blast!" She whispered and soon, fog settled all around. She only did this a couple of times since she learned that little piece of her past. Gently, but quickly, she pulled off her nightgown and tossed in onto the sand. The damp fog caressed her nude body. The mist swirled around her and she let out a little laugh. Never in her proper, shy life had she felt so free like she was now. With no one to see and hidden in thick fog, she felt like running down the coast. She made her way deeper into the water, stopping when her waist was submerged. Her fingers danced on the surface, letting the water kiss her fingertips. She closed her eyes and lifted her hands above her head, letting the water from her hands run down her sides. She twirled slowly in the water and right into someone's warm, slippery embrace. Gasping, Ami jerked back, but the person held her in place.  
  
"So nice for us to end up like this again." He purred  
  
"Zoicite!" She breathed in surprise.  
  
He knew this was wrong, she was still a bit young, but the temptation to tease her a little was just too good to pass up. When he breathed in the fragrance of the fog, he knew it was her. The power was familiar and sweet to his senses. He lost sight of her after the fog thickened, but as he walked closed to the water, he discovered her nightgown tossed carelessly to the ground, and he knew that she was there, almost like she was waiting for him.  
  
"Zoicite, no, we can't do this." She whispered and surprised him by lifting up her head and looking him in the eye.  
  
"Why not love?" He asked, bushing his lips across her cheek, close to her mouth. The feel of her in his arms felt so right, he never knew how much he missed it until now, right at this moment. His senses were swimming, making him dizzy. The smoothness of her delicate skin brushing up on his naked chest, the smell of her hair tickling his nose, her lips, he was memorized by them. And her eyes, god her beautiful eyes he could get lost in. They were so bright with intellect and soft with shyness, he could spend all eternity gazing into them.  
  
"Because, you're too old." She said like the answer was staring him right in the face. He laughed close to her ear, she shivered and he felt goosebumps on her arms.  
  
"Now I'm too old. In the beginning it was because I was a whore." He said in a jesting manner. Her cheeks turned pink and he saw her smile.  
  
"You still are." She muttered.  
  
"How cruel you are my little Princess. I've been without for a thousand years." He said, making himself sound a hurt.  
  
"Aww, you poor thing." She said stroking his arm lightly. "However, if you haven't noticed, this is a different time, and I am a different person." She slipped out of his arms.  
  
"Maybe you mind." He began and entwined his fingers in her hair, lifting her face so he could look into her eyes. "But you heart never forgot me." Her stroked the nape of her neck and felt her pulse quicken. "And your body never forgot." He saw desire darken in her eyes, but she blinked it away and pulled away from him.  
  
"Be that as it may Zoicite." She said and moved farther and farther away from him, making him lose sight of her in the fog that thickened around him. "I am different in this time. I may have fallen for you quickly in the past, but this time, it's going to take some time."  
  
"But we don't have much time." He protested. He heard her laugh.  
  
"Then move quickly Zoi, I'll be waiting." And then she was gone.Ami crept silently back into the beach house and slipped back into bed. She looked outside and saw the fog subside and the silhouette of someone walking back into the house. A smile crept onto her face and she snuggled into her pillow. You would think that his boldness tonight would dampen her thoughts about him, but it only proved that she wanted him more that she first thought. But he was going to have to wait. Her only thoughts should be about Serenity. She was a soldier, and love had to always come second to duty. Zoicite knew that's why he let her go tonight. But still, as she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but remember, the first time they kissed...  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Princess Ami of Mercury walked down the aqua tiled hallway, on her way to the Royal aquarium to study. The sound of her shoes made a gently clicking on the tile. The royal guards bowed as she walked by. Soon, she entered a dark blue room. Shadows of the aquarium water bounced off the walls. She found a place, her favorite place, to sit and study. As she reclined on the white marbled bench, she felt something, or rather someone watching her.  
  
"Yes?" She inquired, not looking up from her book.  
  
"So much for a surprise entrance." He muttered and stood behind her, peering over her shoulder. "What are you reading?"  
  
She snapped her book closed and stood up. "Is there a reason why you're here?" She asked. Zoicite followed close behind her, keeping his hands clasped behind his back in a respecting manner. She walked blindly around corners, stopping short of a pool in front of her.  
  
"Why are you running?" He asked. Ami looked at him, frustration clear on her face.  
  
"I wasn't running and you shouldn't be here." Her eyes looked to her right, than left, than back at him. "How did you get in anyway? If my parents ever found out you were here..."  
  
He silenced her with a kiss. Ami's eyes widened. It wasn't her first kiss, there were times when she and potential suitor shared a light peck to say goodbye, but this kiss wasn't just a peck, he was slipping his tongue into her mouth! Her self control was sliding away from her, her heart was racing, and she couldn't think straight, not when his hands were touching her in places that she never experienced before. She read many book about things like this and getting carried away, and then...oh what did it say later...no...she let our a small moan and Zoicite pulled her tightly closer to him. She was pressed so tightly, she could feel his heart, beat against her breast, and feel him quivering. From what, she didn't know, nor did she care. Her young heart wanted him, wanted this. Her heel caught the edge of the pool and she broke free and soon Zoicite twisted them to the side and they splashed in the cold water. It broke the mood, for them. When they resurfaced, Ami let out a little laugh and swam away from him.  
  
"That happened for a reason." She told him and pulled her self out of the water.  
  
"A sign?" He acquired in amusement. Water dripped down his nose and his hair floated on the surface of the water.  
  
"Probably. I'll see you in the morning, have a pleasant night." She said, trying to pull the clinging dress from her flesh so he would stop looking at her like that. Making her feel desirable, like she was the most beautiful woman in the world...  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
With that thought, Ami fell into a blissful slumber.  
  
"Should I go?" Pluto asked the spirit Queen. Queen Serenity looked down at her hands, rolling a round pearl gem in her hands.  
  
"I think you have to. Endymion is right without the power of his past self my daughter will never be rescued. I didn't think that the scouts would lose their powers. You need to go and explain things to them." She paused and looked off into her own world. Her hands tightened around the gem. "Time grows short. Endymion's court needs to gain their powers soon or else the will be no use to the scouts."  
  
"And what about the scouts? How will they be able to help?" Pluto asked softly.  
  
"Unfortunately, until Serenity is retrieved, they cannot gain their powers back." She stopped and frowned. "Unless..." She began and stood up.  
  
"Unless what?" Pluto prodded.  
  
"Unless they remember."  
  
Pluto shook her head, trying to understand what she meant. "But they do remember."  
  
The Queen shook her head. "No, they have to remember everything, the good and the bad." She gave Pluto a knowing look.  
  
"The bad?" Pluto echoed, the answer finally dawning on her. "But..."  
  
"It's the only way. They are reincarnations of the past Princesses, they must know that everything wasn't as wonderful as they thought, once they regain their memories, remember the hurt and betrayal they suffered in the end, then they can receive their powers."  
  
"But that's cruel, making them relive that experience, it wasn't them..."  
  
"I know, and they need to know that. They need to get all the uncertainties and suspicion out of the way. Their power works with team work, and both courts need to work together. If Beryl finds out how to use the Imperiam Silver Crystal, then they are going to need a lot of power." She put a worried hand to her mouth, tears formed in her eyes. "I should have known this was going to happen." She whispered and faded away. "I should have known."  
  
Pluto stared at empty spot the Queen once was. She was punishing herself just as Endymion was. She looked at the image on the screen. All of them were asleep except Darien.  
  
"Well, no time like the present." She muttered to herself and waved her rod. Soon a portal opened and she went through, hoping that the plan will work.  
  
AN: Sorry readers, no lemon in this chapter, but I'm thinking of good ones I want to execute with finesse and tastefulness. I don't want them to jump into things, so I'm trying to make it so they can work up to it with out jumping head first, but when I think about it, that might take a lot of time sigh, anyway, I'll think of something, and sorry it took so long to get this one out, but summer get to you, well, it gets to me.  
  
If you see my many mistakes, please forgive me, I've yet to hear back from my editor, so I'll probably look for another, so if you think your good for the job, you know got straight A's in English and Reading, then get back to me and e-mail me, and I was just kidding, you didn't have to have had perfect grades, but you have to be pretty good at Editing and stuff like that...  
  
And I know I've been getting a lot of reviews for 'Protected', and I know its been a long time since I updated 'Past Princess's Passions' too, but I'm totally blocked. I started some of it, but it hard writing an ending for 'PPP'. Yeah, you're probably thinking, excuses, excuses, but it's true! Big innocent smile Anyway, REVIEW! Love you all kisses muh 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Sailor Pluto stepped lightly on the hardwood floor, and closed the portal behind her with an elegant wave of her rod. She looked around the dark house and proceeded down the dim hallway, stopping short, in front of a slightly ajar door. She could tell a lamp was turned on because the faint orange light touched the tips of her black boots. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open. Prince Endymion, no, she corrected herself mentally, Darien, was sitting faithfully next to Serena on the bed. His dark head was bowed and she saw his lips moved silently. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward and touched his shoulder. He jerked up, looking like he was ready to jump his intruder.

"Sorry." She apologized softly. He straightened up, and towered over her. Curiosity and protectiveness were blatant in his eyes and she was assured by this.

"Sailor Pluto I presume?" He asked. She nodded, trying to keep eye contact with him, but her worry kept returning her gazed to the small blonde on the bed. As if reading her mind, Darien took a step back and let her kneel by the bed. Her hands shook as she brushed the limp hair out of Serena's pale face.

"My Princess, I'm so sorry." She whispered, leaning down and putting her cheek against Serena's. They sat there in silence, not saying a word, but she could hear Darien shift and she knew that it was time. She looked one last time at the sleeping princess before she motioned him to follow her.

"Call the others." She said quietly and left him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

He woke up his guards first, before the girls. He smirked. He was leaving that job to them. After all, he knew what would happen if he dare interrupt their beauty sleep. No sooner did he finish the thought, when he saw Jadeite dash for cover in the hallway. Raye stalked out her fists drawn, ready to beat the living daylights out of him.

"Darien told me to do it!" He heard Jadeite protest, pointing an accusing finger at him. Darien shot him a death glare, but then booked it into the living room before she turned her anger on him.

Sleepily, they all filed into the living room. Mina was muttering something under her breath and leaned into Kunzite. He ushered her into the room and seated her on the couch, taking his place next to her. When they entered the room, they immediately noticed the tall woman dressed in dark scout clothing with a long rod in her hand.

"Sailor Pluto?" Ami spoke up, faintly remembering her from the past.

"Yes Princess Ami." She said. Ami blinked and shifted. It had been so long since she was called by that name.

"This is not a passing visit is it?" Nephrite asked in a void tone, looking at his hands. For some reason, cold dread filled his stomach and his hands were clammy.

"Unfortunately no." She said with a sigh and her hand flexed on the rod. "Things have gone a bit haywire since our last meeting if you haven't noticed." Her voice turned to ice all of the sudden.

"Is it really bad?" Zoicite asked. Sailor Pluto didn't answer right away, but then after a while, she focused her eyes on them.

"Queen Beryl is much more powerful now that she has Serenity's entity, and the present Serena is recovering slowly."

"When she's recovered, are we going to be able to transform again?" Raye asked hopefully. Being without her powers was like being striped naked. She longed for them, like she longed for nothing else. She was helpless to help Serenity and she didn't like feeling like a failure to her Princess.

"No." She said bluntly. The girls started to ask questions and she quieted them with her hand. Pluto hid her pained eyes, hating that she had to bring the horrid past back to light, but Queen Serenity was right, it was the only way for them to get back their powers. They didn't have Serenity to strengthen them anymore until they got her back from Beryl. They had to find their strength from inside. Once they accepted and got passed the bad, the betrayal, the pain, which they suffered, then and only then will they be of any use to the Princess.

She took a deep breath, and then looked at the confused guards. "They will have to remember the last battle. They have to remember who killed them." Before she finished, Jadeite and Nephrite jumped up off the couch in outrage.

"No!" They yelled. Kunzite stood as well shaking his head in disbelief.

"But they'll think that we..." Pluto gave Zoicite a look that said to be quiet.

"No! Pluto please..." Nephrite pleaded, almost to tears. She too felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest, and it took all her self control, not to flinch as she raised her rod.

"Pluto it wasn't us, can't we tell them our side first? What happened first?" Kunzite asked.

"No Lord Kunzite...I'm sorry...." She whispered and there was a flash from her rod and the room was bathed in burgundy light. She could faintly here someone whispering. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...." And a warm tear ran down her cheek.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The scouts felt like they were floating away from their bodies. They were in a land, or dimension that was filled with grey clouds, as if they were in a storm. There was nothing but them. No sign of the guards, or Darien, no sign of anything.

"Where are we?" Ami asked. Her voice bounced off the cloudy walls and seemed to grow louder. No sooner were the words said when an image came into focus. Their feet touched the ground of a cavern and they were right next to Queen Serenity and four Elite Moon guards.

"Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto, Uranus, Saturn, and Moon power, come and grant me this wish, I call upon this bond to be formed by a kiss, never let my love and I part. In this I ask do not fail, for this is my everlasting and eternal spell." The girls saw Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion kiss and silver light danced over their heads, and then fell all around them like a sheer curtain. When their kiss ended the Princess looked at her mother defiantly and the Queen looked at her in horror and unmasked pain.

"Serenity!" The Queen said and the ground began to shake. Serenity grabbed Endymion's shirt in a bunch and he put a protected hand around her slender waist. They looked all around them, dodging the rocks that were falling on them.

"What's going on?" Lita cried, her question said in unison with Princess Serenity.

"We have to get out of here!" Endymion yelled and the Elite guards huddled close together, trying to protect the Queen. As they ran out, the girls looked at one another and followed suit, not wanting to be trapped in the cave before they could understand what Pluto wanted them to see.

They all ran through the darkened forest, stopping shot when the Palace loomed in front of them. They all stared openmouthed at the pearly white marble, looking like a make-believe kingdom in fairy tales.

"I forgot how beautiful it was." Mina murmured.

"Look at the sky!" Raye shrieked with a shaking finger. The peaceful night sky was being swallowed up by ugly purple and red clouds and black shadow like figures were descending out of, what looked like, a worm hole.

"Are those yomens?" Lita asked as the shadowy figures kept emerging like bees from an interrupted hive.

"Let's go!" Ami cried, and they all ran again to catch up with the party they started with. No sooner did they reach them when the image blurred and they were tossed into anther image.

This time they were in a cold, humid place. Low chanting could be heard. They were in some sort of hallway that almost seemed _alive_. The walls were pulsing with vines that looked like veins. Firelight flickered off the hallway and they saw rows and rows of shadows pass them. They silently made their way through the narrow passage, coming short of a door. The wall in front to them faded away and another image appeared before them.

"What is this place?" Mina asked. Raye shook her head, trying to rub away the goosebumps that emerged on her arm.

"Some place evil." She whispered.

"What about the scouts?" A raspy voice asked. They rounded the corner of the new room they were in and saw a woman with fiery red hair dressed in scandals purple dress seated on a grey throne.

"Hey, didn't we kill them?" Mina asked. In front of the woman were seven warriors.

"Remember when Luna told us that when the crystal was broken the seven shards went into Queen Beryl's strongest warriors." Ami whispered to them. They all wondered, even if they didn't know it, if these were the one that killed them. But they decided to see what was going on instead.

"They are taken care of." Beryl said with a cold smile, showing her fang teeth.

"How my Queen?" They are still alive." One of them asked, his voice almost shaking in fear for asking her so boldly. The Queen let out a cackle and stood up. The seven warriors took several steps back, keeping their heads bowed.

"You should never doubt my abilities." She hissed at them and motioned them to follow her. They girls went as well. They entered another room and she waved her hand and the pulsing wall in front of her opened. A black crystal ball sat in the middle of the room. Colors of all kinds swirled in the middle of it and Beryl sat in the single chair in front of it. "Like I said, you don't need to worry about it. I have made warriors that far exceed all of you." She told them. Mina saw some of the seven in front of her wince, while others stayed unresponsive to her cut down. "Look." She said to them and they lifted their heads and gathered close to the ball.

"Let's get closer as well." Raye told them in a whisper even though they couldn't be seen or heard. The ball swirled colors and then, an image appeared.

"My Queen, they are the Guards from Earth." One of the warriors said aloud. He was right. All four guards were standing apart from the chaos that was happening on the Moon, watching. A woman and her three young children ran past them, followed by a bloodthirsty yomen and they did _nothing_ but watch the scene in amusement. Cold hard amusement.

"Why aren't they doing anything?" Mina hissed at the others, but they too, were as puzzled at she.

"As you can see my pets, the guards are in my control now." She said with haughtiness in her voice. The girls gasped, and looked at one another wondering how she did that.

"But, forgive me, my Queen, but the Guards would never betray Prince Endymion." One of the warriors said, and then ducked his head when Beryl skewered him with a hateful glare.

"Of course not. Use your head you fool!" She barked. The warrior apologized fervently and then kept his mouth shut. "But I see all of your curiosity, so I will forgive your idiocy." She said and paused, looking haughtily at them and then turned back to the ball. "They couldn't be changed, and so I captured them and expelled the darkest side of them, creating clones. Although, for some reason Zoicite's clone became a girl." She muttered under her breath. "All the same, I bended them to my rule. I never thought the evil sides of the guards would be so strong, seeing as they all seemed a bit drab." She said, flicking hair out of her face. "But the beings of Earth are full of surprises. They will take care of the Scouts for you. Their overwhelming love for them will be enough to conquer the moon and take control of this galaxy. You see my pets, your Queen has ensured your victory against the soldiers of the Silver Alliance. All you need to do is finish what I started." She concluded with a satisfied smile on her lips.

The image faded and the scouts were pulled apart from each other.

MINA

Mina ended up in the midst of a battle. Her past self was killing intruding yomens. In frenzy of the battle, her past self didn't see the approaching man in the back of her. Rather, she sensed him and she whirled around.

"Kunzite! I'm so glad you're here!" She killed another monster, and then turned back to him. "It's like they keep multiplying no matter how many I kill. I need your help!" Kunzite smiled and in a flash of light, the monsters all around her disintegrated. Mina breathed a sigh of relief and ran to his waiting arms.

"I was so worried that you wouldn't come tonight my love." She said in his shirt, tightening her hold around his waist and breathing in his scent. In the back of her mind, something told her to get away, to run as fast as she could, but she ignored it. Mina watched Kunzite stroke her past self's hair, all the while, looking down at her in pure loathing and repugnance, but at the same time, overpowering possessiveness.

"No, get away from him!" She screamed at her past self, but of course she couldn't be heard.

"Come with me my love, I want to show you something." He said hurriedly. Her past self looked up into his anxious face and concern filled her eyes. He led her down the hall, and into a room where it was dark.

"Kunzite can't you just tell me?" She heard her past self ask, and Mina hurried to catch up. When she entered the room, Kunzite had lit several candles. As soon as the room was lit she gasped along with her past self.

"Mother! Father!" She cried. The King and Queen of Venus were fair people. Both with blonde hair and blue eyes, their features, soft, like the royalty of Love should look like. And currently, they were both bounded and gagged. Her past self ran to them and kneeled down. Her father had a nasty bruise on his left eye, and her mother had a cut on her cheek that was bleeding freely. "Oh god." She moaned looking around her and seeing the Elite Guards of Venus, slaughtered. The carpet was soaked in blood and various body parts were strewn about. The wall dripped with blood, like a bucket of it was just thrown all around.

Mina knew from the way Kunzite smiled, that he was responsible for the disarray of the room. Bitter mirth at her pain twinkled in his eyes.

"Those damn yomens have no mercy." Her past self bit out, trying to untie the gag around her parent's mouth. While her past self was turned around, Kunzite withdrew his sword from the hilt, and pointed it at the King and Queen over her head. Mina shook her head, and saw a cold sneer play on his face.

"_No_!" She screamed. No, how could he? Kunzite couldn't be that evil could he?

"They have more mercy than me." Kunzite said. Her past self turned with confusion on her face. When she saw the sword, her eyes widened and he pushed her aside. Yomens appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her arms, holding her in place and Kunzite took deliberately slow steps toward the vulnerable King and Queen. They looked wide-eyed at the shiny sword, shaking their head as if pleading with him.

"Kunzite what are you doing!" Her past self shrieked, fighting to get free. Mina tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Unbelief rooted her to the spot. With a quick stroke, he beheaded the Queen and not even a second later, he did the same to the King.

"_No_! _God no_!" Her past self shrieked watching in horror as her mother's head rolled and stopped at her feel. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks and her legs gave way. She pooled to the ground with the yomens still holding her in place. The coppery smell of blood stung her nose.

"No, Mommy, Daddy..." She said between the sobs that racked her body. "Mommy no! Please, god...What have you done?" She looked up at Kunzite, towering over her. "What have you done?!" Her cries became screams as she struggled harder to get free. "Kunzite! Why?!" Kunzite put his bloody sword between his two fingers and wiped the blood off. It dripped down his hand, dripping off his wrist and he smeared it on Mina's tear stained face while a yomen held her by the hair.

"Queen Beryl will reign and you and the others will die Princess of Venus." He kneeled in front of her, and placed rough fingers in her chin, yanking her face up so she couldn't look away from him. Mina's legs felt like rubber and she sank down on the carpet, next to her past self, listening to his last words to her.

"You're probably thinking why? Why is he doing this, I thought he loved me." He chuckled and licked her cheek where her parent's blood was rolling down. "It's true. I love you so much that you have to die. Because you'll always be mine." He said harshly. "In your death, I'll make sure no one ever looks at you the way I do, no one will ever feel your light. It's all mine! I'll be the only one who will remember it. You will always belong to me! Every _part_ of you!" He finished by giving her a bruising kiss, and his sword stabbed her in the stomach. He drew in her last breath and when she went limp in the yomen's grasp, he broke away. "Everything belongs to me, even your last breath." His eyes glittered with madness and the image faded away. Mina was rocking back and forth on her knees, with her arms crossed in front of her, trying to warm her shivering body.

"Everything." She whispered a million things running through her mind.

LITA

Lita ended up in a quiet place. It looked like the gardens that she and the other use to play in when they came to visit Princess Serenity. Behind her she heard the trees shudder and she turned around. What she saw had her do a double take, but that quickly faded. Her past self had a troubled look on her face. She ran past her and Lita followed. She looked back and saw two yomens running after her. This made her frown. Why would she be running away from them when she should be fighting? Her question was answered when her past self sent an attack behind her, toasting the yomens. She continued to run, past the dead guards at the entrance of the palace, through the empty halls and into another room that looked like a cellar. Her chest heaved, and she gulped for air, looking frantically around.

"Over here!" A male voice called out to her. Lita recognized it, and kept in step as her past self ran to Nephrite. He was in the greenhouse, located in the small corner of the palace grounds. It was dark, and humid. Rows of exotic flowers and plants over crowded the small walkways between the flower beds. In the far part of the massive greenhouse, she knew that there were four huge trees. Every time she would visit Serenity, she would come here to be alone, especially when her parent had month long meetings to go to and she had to stay here. It was like a piece of home.

"Nephrite where are you?" She called, stepping over a thick vine.

"Here. Hurry!" He called out to her in an urgent voice. Lita followed her past self and came to a clearing. The moisture in the air made her scout uniform cling to her in an uncomfortable way. Nephrite greeted her in a lazy stance with his sword resting on his shoulder.

"Well, where are they? You told me you found them!" She said in a breathless voice.

"And I did, love." He stepped aside. "See?"

Her parents were unconscious, lying in heaps on the ground. Her past self began to go to them, by Nephrite halted her with the tip of his sword at her chest.

"What are you doing? This is no time for games, why didn't you try to wake them?" She asked, trying to push his sword away from her. But he wasn't about to let her, instead, he pulled his sword back, just as she wrapped her hand around it. She hissed and yanked it back.

"You cut me! Nephrite why..." She wasn't able to finish her question. Her parents stirred from their lifeless state.

"Mother!" Lita stared at her mother, not believing that all the times since she got her memories back, did she ever think of her parents. She even forgot how they looked and it shamed her. Her mother was a short woman, leaving Lita to wonder where she got her height from. But everything else about her was almost identical to her own features. Green eyes and wavy chestnut hair. Her sharp features and delicate hands. Her father was the tall one. Pure muscle. His hair was straight brown, thick. His arm was bent at an odd angle, and blood tricked down his nose.

"Daughter, leave—" Her mother was cut of in a choke as vines from the trees came alive and wrapped themselves around the Queen's throat.

"No, what's going on Nephrite?" Lita demanded.

"You never knew that I could control plant life too did you love?" He asked in a low voice, with dark humor.

"No! Let my mother go!" She was about to take another step, but the vines tightened and lifted the suffocating Queen to her feet. Her face was turning a violent purple color. "Stop!" She cried, not moving. Lita looked from her past self to Nephrite and a sharp pain exploded behind her eyes as memories came flooding into to her conscious.

"They wanted to keep us apart! How could you defend them?" He yelled at her, the sick humor flaring to anger.

"I was going to talk to them! Why are you doing this?! Please, let her go!" She pleaded.

"Talk? Like they would listen to you. They deserve to die!"

"Nephrite..." She whispered, watching her mother's eyes roll up in her head. She let out a little moan, wanting desperately to help her.

"What? Are you choosing them over me?" He asked menacingly and snapped his fingers. Another vine sprung out from the tree and enveloped her father's neck, yanking him to his feet. His body hung higher that her mother's, looking as if there was a giant invisible puppeteer controlling the strings. Her past self struggled not to move.

"Nephrite!" She screamed with salty tears running down her cheek.

"They don't understand our love Lita! If they keep us apart, I'll go mad!" He hollered.

"You are mad! Who are you!?" She screamed back at him, clenching her fists together.

"Mad about you Lita." His face calmed, his voiced softened and he strode to her, with his hands outstretched. Lita flinched as he caressed her cheek with an impersonal gentleness. "Don't cry. We can be together without their interference." He told her silkily. She let out a sob as her mother went limp. "Look at me." He ordered. Lita watched her past self avoid his gaze. A muscle in his cheek ticked as he tightened his jaw. "You would leave me for them?" He asked icily, glancing behind him, giving her nearly dead parents a hateful glare. "_So be it_." He hissed and slapped her face. The blow made her neck snap to one side. He snapped his fingers and she could hear the vines rustle as they tightened more.

"_No_!" She shrieked in despair. Lita remembered what happened next like it was yesterday. Soon, it was like she was living the experience over again. No longer was she just a bystander. She felt anger bubble in her stomach and quickly summoned every ounce of power she had inside. But before she could let it loose, Nephrite caught her arm and yanked her around, pinning her to the glass wall. Her face was pressed hard, into the cold surface. He twisted her arm around in the back while her free hand pushed against the glass. She could see his reflection in the glass.

"I forgive you Lita. Don't think I'm completely heartless. After this war we can be together forever. Queen Beryl will give me release from this hell without you." He said close to her ear, locking eyes with her own reflection.

"Without me?" She wheezed out.

His eyes lost some of it insanity, and tears formed in the corners of them. "This obsession with you. Every time I come near you, my emotions go haywire. Your parents didn't understand. And no one will. They didn't deserve you. I do. I deserve you! All your attention, all your love, its mine! They can't have you! I will have you! No one!" He hands grabbed her throat, and with her free hand, she clawed at them, trying to gasp for air. The wildness emerged again. Even with her air being taken away, she knew what he was trying to do and tried to twist away, but with his free hand, he wrenched her face back toward his face, making her neck muscles scream in pain, and sealed his lips onto hers. He tasted bitter, and something about him made her mouth go dry and numb. A dirty, tangy taste tingled in her throat and she gagged.

Poison. He kissed her with a poisoned mouth. Her body shook as the toxic juice seeped into her body. Her stomach cramped and, if it wasn't for Nephrite holding her up, she would have sunk to the ground. The pressure on her throat lessened. But it still felt like she was suffocating anyways. Her conscious faded in and out.

"We'll be together again Lita." He told her with a ragged whisper and stroked the hair out of her face. "We'll be together." Was the last thing she heard before her body racked for the last time and the image of his crazy dark blue eyes faded and she was left alone, looking up at the blank sky.

RAYE

She closed her eyes, counting backwards to calm her hammering heart. Her feet landed softly on something solid. But instead of standing, she decided to drop to her knees. Cautiously, she opened one eye and stared into blank lifeless eyes. She screamed and scrambled away. It was a head, impaled on a stake. Blood dribbled down its pale lips and his face was twisted into an expression filled with terror. Who would do something like this?

"Jadeite!" Raye recognized her own voice and she turned to the sound. It was comforting in a strange way to see her past self and understand all her memories. Her eyes were wiser than her own. And her soul, it was old, like a thousand of her ancestors resided in one body. She had to be about nineteen or so. Her limbs were long with maturity, her outfit was a bit different seeing as she was dressed in her royal garments of Mars. She guessed she didn't change yet. Right now, she was curious to see why.

"Jadeite, where are you?" Her past self yelled again. She stumbled over a smoking grassy hill, tripping on the long hem of her dress. She growled, yanking the fabric over her shoes. She patted down the bodice of the sparkling red dress.

"Where is it?" She hissed. Her changing wand was stuck in a hidden pocket among all her folds. She was so busy looking through the pockets that she failed to see Jadeite saunter toward her, wiping something red off his had. Raye frowned and walked closer, trying to get a better look at the events unfolding before her.

"Raye, my sweet hellfire." He purred, caressing the exposed nape of her neck. Her past self flicked away his hands.

"I can't find it." She said with a frustrated sigh, and muttered a low curse. Raye saw his hand dive into the pocket of his suit and pull out a short wand with a red see-through glass bulb. The inside held her golden Mars sign with an arrow among the heart.

"This?" He asked holding her wand in front of her. Her past self brightened and she reached for it.

"Why do you have it?" She asked grabbing for it, only to have him pull it back.

"You dropped it after that little...break we had in the council room." He said. Her face flushed and she avoided his eyes.

"Jadeite, give it to me. I need to change and find my parents." She told him, trying to grab for it one more time, but again, he held it over his head, so that she couldn't reach it.

"I already found them. That's why I called you to me." He said. Raye's past self narrowed her eyes, looking closely at him.

"Jadeite, are you alright?" She asked with a frown. His face remained impassive which was rather strange, knowing he had an expression for every question she asked.

"Fine. Why do you ask?"

Raye felt a twinge of uneasiness, seeing the shadows in his eyes. Her heart cried out to her that something was wrong, but she didn't wasn't to listen. At least, not where Jadeite was concerned.

"Would you please give me my changing wand and show me to my parents?" She asked. His eyes hardened.

"I don't like them you know." He spat out. Raye shook her head, trying to understand what he was talking about.

"Like who?" She dared to ask. His usually easy-going nature was gone all of the sudden and he roughly grabbed her arm. Raye's temper flared and she kneed him in the thigh. No one ever treated her like that and Jadeite was no exception, no matter how much she loved him. When he recoiled from her small attack, she took the chance to grab her changing wand from him. She transformed quickly, feeling a whole lot securer now that she had her powers.

"What has gotten into you?" She snapped at him and trudged past him. "If you didn't find my parents, you could have just told me." She said in a huff, trying to shake the nagging feeling off of her. He ran up behind her and slipped an arm around her waits.

"I'm sorry Raye. It's just, battle changes me." He said in a more friendly tone kissing her neck. Raye glared behind her and lurched out of his arms. The welcoming heat that she was use to feeling was nowhere to be found. All these signs and she still let him cling to her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him. "They're over here." He said.

Raye stayed close to her past self and Jadeite as they made their way past grotesque scenes of massacred people where the sickly, sweet stench of death stung her nose.

They arrived in an opening where yomens danced freely among burning stakes. Her past self abruptly stopped with a look of horror on her face. Raye squinted to see what she was seeing and let out a scream of shock. There were burning people on the stakes! Bile rose up in her throat. It was a memory of hers sure, but she desperately pushed that memory away, telling herself that it never happened. She didn't blame her past self for trying to forget that ghastly memory. Even now as the memory fought to be acknowledged, she heard her self say "No, it never happened."

"Oh my _God_!" Her past self ended with a scream putting a hand over her mouth to stop herself from hyperventilating. The image blurred as tears mounted. "Why did you bring me here? Among the enemy?" She said between breaths.

"Master Jadeite. So nice of you to join us." Said a monster, bowing before them, sending her past self a look of gloat. Raye watched as her past self shake her head, as if trying to shake away the image in front of her.

"Jadeite? What's going on?" She cried, clenching her fist to her side to keep him from seeing her shake with fear and unbelief.

"I told you I found your parents. Now you will get the opportunity to see them die." He snickered, grabbing her wrist and yanking her to him. She tired to get away. But there was some unknown energy that he possessed it was like fighting with steel cuffs. He practically dragged her along. The yomens kept glancing back at her with their evil red eyes with evil mischievous smirks. In the back of the smoldering fields, two stakes were kept in the shadows. Panic rose in her chest because she knew who was on them and she knew what would happen next. She longed to run away from the scene, run into some corner and squeeze her eyes shut and cover her ears and scream. Scream until her throat was red and raw, until she couldn't talk anymore. Even then it wouldn't be enough, even then it wouldn't erase what she was seeing, and it wouldn't erase what she did.

Raye forced herself to watch the scene before her.

"Mama! Papa!" She cried. Jadeite held his head high, sneering at the King and Queen. The royalty of Mars always had dark haired people with sharp looks. Her mother's head way lolling back and forth, dried blood matting her usually shiny black hair to her forehead. Her father's long hair was ragged and blew in the hot, smoky air. Their clothes were torn and dirty and hung lopsided on their tied bodies. "Jadeite! What's going on? What happened to you?" She screamed in agony, rare tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Shall we do it?" One of the yomens asked eagerly, prancing in excided circles around them.

"You won't touch them!" Her past self yelled, breaking Jadeite's hold on her and pushing the yomen fiercely away from her parents, meanwhile summoning an attack. The fire arrow pierced through the yomen's chest. It hollered in pain and stumbled back, in between her parent's stakes. It thrashed around and flames snaked and caught the straw on fire. Her past self gasped.

Behind her, low chuckles could be heard and Raye along with her past self whipped around.

"I couldn't have done it better myself!" He yelled, throwing his head back and laughing.

"_No_!" Her past self screamed. She watched in horror as the flames grew higher and higher, licking the material of her parents' clothes. I killed them! The thought pounded in her head, so painful, she thought her brain was about to explode. Her whole body shut down and she stood there, unable to tear her eyes away.

"If it gives you any comfort love, I had killed your father already." Jadeite purred in her ear, caressing the side of her wet cheek. "How does it feel, knowing you killed your own mother? It is at no cost to us love, she would have kept you from me, and that in itself would have been hell. The thought of not having you at my side when Earth and the Moon are conquered is like fire. Just thinking about it make me want to kill them over and over, to prove to you that I would do anything to keep you with me. Now, with blood on both our hands, you are free to leave your duties and become a follower of the Dark Kingdom."

The offer made her blink out of her unbelief. "I'll never follow that witch. She can burn in hell, just like you!" She hollered, pulling his sword out if it's sheathed. No sooner did she point the blade at his chest, did a yomen restrain her from behind. Jadeite's eyes darkened and he pointed a finger at the yomen and dark magic shot out and killed it.

"No one touches her but me!" He roared in outrage. "She's mine! She'll always be mine!" And with that said, he grabbed his sword back. Insanity burned in the depths of his blue eyes. It was nothing she had never seen before. She never saw the dagger that he pulled out of his waist band, she never saw the way he caressed her back lovingly before he killed her. All she saw was his eyes full of possessiveness and pain. All she felt was overwhelming confusion and hatred, balled with betrayal and sadness.

This wasn't her Jadeite, she knew it from the moment she met to him tonight. From the moment they danced together, from the moment they made love in the council room. She knew all these things, but forced herself not to notice until now, until the very end.

She wanted to believe that this was a bad dream, that he didn't break his promise to her that he would never hurt her. New tears sprang as she looked into his haggard face.

"Don't cry love, it will all be over soon." He whispered to her, with his own tears in his eyes. "We'll be together in a world where no one will ever keep us apart. Don't cry Raye, please don't cry. I'm doing this for us. Don't cry..." And Raye sank down to the floor, hearing his last words ring over and over in her mind.

AMI

She ended up in a place that was full of fog. The power all around her, she knew all too well because it was her power.

"Mother?" She heard a familiar voice call out. Ami decided to follow the sound, as she ran to it, her bare feet slapped the shallow water in the place she was in. Faintly, in her memories, something tugged at her. This place was special to her for some reason. Even though she didn't know why, she felt a warm blush spread on her cheeks. "Father? Where are you?" The voice called out again. It was closer now. She walked a little further and soon, through the fading fog, she saw her past self searching the lake that loomed in front of her.

"Ami, come closer." Said a new voice.

"Zoicite? Is that you?" Her past self said in uncertainty.

"This way Ami." Her past self let out a little laugh as she followed the voice.

"For a second you didn't sound like yourself." She came to a clearing. The fog swirled around her and then disappeared. Shadows of the shallow waves from a pool of water swayed in the grayish white walls. But the water that was usually crystal clear blue was now a very disturbing coppery color. Even the smell of blood was intensified by the water.

The lapping ripples echoes off the bare, empty walls. She saw two figures sitting far away from her on the marble steps that led into the water. Distantly, she could hear the sound of battle outside the wall that she found comfort in. All of it, the battle, the Earthlings, Serenity's disappearance all of it was a whirlwind of chaos. For the first time in her life, she felt so overwhelmed by it all.

"Ami, you look troubled." Zoicite's voice rebounded from the walls again.

"Zoicite? Where are you?" Her voice cracked. She wanted him to hold her and sooth away this foreboding of doom. Even she could see that no matter what she and the others did, this war was lost. What she didn't know was what was going to happen to her or her people.

"Don't be troubled Ami, I'm here for you. I'm always here for you." His voice said softly. But still, there was something odd about it. He sounded a bit...girlish.

"Where are you at? Why won't you come to me?" She whispered, suddenly feeling so very tired. A shadow moved to her right, but she didn't look over to see what it was. Rather, she was hypnotized by the dark water and the dark objects that had sunk to the bottom.

"Do you see them?" Zoicite whispered in her ear from behind.

"Zoicite, where have you been?" She asked him, leaning her head back and blinking away the sleep. Her body ached from all the hours of fighting and fast healing battle wounds.

"Here, waiting for you."

"This will never end will it? This battle...it's..."

"Hopeless." He finished for her. "You have realized the hopelessness of it all. Queen Beryl will be pleased." He sounded excided about that.

"But..." She sighed.

"There is no shame in giving up. Especially if the war is not in your favor."

"Giving up? That's something I thought I'd never hear you say." Ami watched as Zoicite circled her past self. She saw suspicion cloud her past self's eyes. It was almost like she saw the fine hairs on her past self's neck stick up.

"Why make excuses? Serenity can't hear you. Leave this place, leave the palace and come back to Queen Beryl with me. We can be together forever."

Ami watched as confusion crossed her past selves face. Her hands clenched together and she felt her power itch her finger tips.

"Who are you?" Ami's past self whispered. Zoicite chuckled and gave her shoulders a quick squeeze.

"Don't be afraid. It's still me my dear. Queen Beryl only enhanced my powers." He explained to her like it was as natural as rain on a cloudy night. "She can do the same for you if you want. Just think, two minds as powerful as ours, we can be invincible." His eyes glittered madly with the thought.

"NO!" Her past self screamed and turned, calling forth an ice attack. She blasted Zoicite in the stomach and sent him flying back, hitting the wall with a loud thunk. She started running out of the pool room when two big yomens stepped in front of her. She skidded to a halt. Ami had to sprint just to keep up. She saw Zoicite recover quickly from her attack and trap her from behind.

"Leave her to me." He hissed at the yomens. Their red eyes widened with fear and they ducked away from them. Cold hands grabbed her arm harshly her past self winced at his brutality.

"Why are you leaving? This offer can't last forever. I'm giving you a chance for immortality."

Tears streamed down her past selves face and she shook her head vigorously. "You not my Zoicite." She whispered and cried out when he grabbed a fistful of her hair. She knew she should have fought him, but looking into his face, and looking into those familiar eyes she always got lost it, she just couldn't.

"I'm more that what I was!" He hissed. "Why can't you accept our fate?"

"What fate? Working for an evil Queen? Betraying my friends?" She cried out through gritted teeth.

"We can be together! Everyone who stood in our way will be dead. All I have to do is kill the last two." He said soothingly in a desperately convincing tone. He made her turn her head to the dark pool.

"What two?" She forced herself to ask. He smiled down at her. The dark corner of the pool lit up with an unnatural blue light and in the midst of it, her parents sat, tied neck to ankle with coarse ropes, hanging over the pool.

"I asked earlier if you saw them." He mocked, tightening his hold on her hair, and wrapping his arm around her waist, grazing his knuckled against her ribs.

Ami watched in anxiety as the next events unfolded before her. All she could do was stare at her fidgeting parents. They looked like huge butterfly cocoons.

"Why are you doing this?" Her past self whispered distressingly.

"After they're gone, you won't have anyone to protect and you can come with me." He told her.

"I won't. How can you think that? If you kill them, I'll hate you forever." She hissed, wincing again as he tightened his hold of her.

"Once you fall in love, it's hard to fall out of. Didn't you tell me that once? Even if I kill them, you'll always love me. Admit it. This is what you want. To be free of all your responsibilities, to just let go of everything and quit fighting. You see, me and you were never meant to fight."

All her past self could do was whimper. Just seeing her hair pulled so tightly back was the present Ami a headache.

"Please Zoicite, don't do it. If there is any good in you, then you won't do this." She pleaded.

"That's the thing. There is no good in me, just passion, and obsession and love. And love can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. And right now, passion is going to kill your father." Ami watched as her past self looked down at the hand around her waist and saw a dark crystal emerge from his palm. He lifted his hand and the crystal shot out and sliced the rope that was holding her father, perfectly through and he dropped into the water with a big splash.

"_No_!" Both past and present Ami shrieked in horror.

"Watch him thrash around, making his doom even sweeter." Zoicite whispered sweetly, caressing her face gently, wiping her tears away with his finger tips. Her father's thrashing subsided, and soon, his corps was floating to the top. "And next, my obsession will end your mother's life." And again, the dark crystal sliced through the air and into the ropes holding her mother. "I can't watch this one. She looks so much like you, and it pains me to see you suffer. But you can. Look Ami, see how she tries to hold her breath? See how she's trying to wriggle her arms free." He gave a snort. "All fruitless." Ami closed her eyes, and plugged her ears, trying to quiet the loud echoing of the splashes.

"See, you're free now."

Ami's past self fell into uncontrollable sobs. They ripped through the very soul of her present, remembering the dark despair she felt that night her parents died. She had to cry along with her past self.

"Don't cry. You're free to come with me now." Zoicite said in a quiet, somber voice, letting her hair go and smoothing away her crystal tears.

"I won't go! How could you do this to me? I told you..." She said between sobs.

"Shut up! Just shut up! Why am _I_ doing this to _you_? Why are _you_ doing this to _me_? I offer the world to you and you dismiss it. Everything I did, I did for you! I gave you your freedom. You longed for it, just as I long for you!" He hollered at her, making her eardrums ring. He let out a growl and pulled her to the steps to the water.

"Freedom, that's all I wanted for you and you reject me." Her grabbed a hand of hair again and shoved her past selve's face to the surface of the water. "We can be together if you just give it. Is that what you want, not to be with me?" He yanked her head back and forth when she gave no answer.

"Tell me!" He boomed.

"I want the Zoicite I fell in love with. And you're not him-" She didn't finish. Before she knew it, her face was submerged into the water. She held her breath along with her past self, but Zoicite was persistent, and had no trouble holding her head down.

"Don't fight with me, I hate fighting with you. After this, you'll be at peace. If I can't bring you freedom with me at your side, at least you'll get freedom this way. And we'll be together in the end. I'll always remember you." He watched in sick relief as she quit struggling. "You're free Ami. I did this for you..."

The image faded from her and she found herself back in the present.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Sailor Pluto stood still, not breathing, not thinking as one by one the scouts awoke from their trance. The guards nervously watched them, each with their fears showing in their eyes. Darien shook his head in disbelief having watched the images that the scouts saw appear before him in a grey cloud. Why did Pluto have to do this? If his guards are needed to beat Beryl, then why did she bring mistrust to the scouts? Why show them their gruesome death by the hands of their lovers?

Raye was the first to bolt off the couch. She looked at Jadeite with uncertainty. He stood up.

"Raye, you know it wasn't me." He said quietly. Raye jerkily nodded her head.

"I know, but..." Tears burned her eyes and she wiped them quickly away. Mina gave Kunzite's hand a little squeeze and stood up as well.

"It's just..." Mina began, but the words were caught in her throat. She couldn't explain her fears to him, and Raye looked like she was going to throw up. She went to comfort her, but also, she had to get away from Kunzite.

Ami sat stiffly on the edge of the couch, staring straight ahead. Zoicite threw himself back, running a distressed hand through his hair, not sure what to do. He couldn't touch her just yet. She needed her space.

Lita stared straight into Nephrite's eyes, seeing very clearly, the pain and regret in them. But still...the image of her mother dying still burned in her mind. And his face, she touched his cheek lightly and then pulled her hand back, it looked so much the same. She stood and joined Mina and Raye.

"It happened. We just have to let it sink in that's all." Raye explained gently.

"Will you be okay?" Zoicite asked Ami, barely touching her shoulder. She stood up stiffly and tipped her head in acknowledgement. The girls made their way back into the comfort of their bedroom and closed the door with a soft click leaving the guys in the living room.

Pluto was never one to squirm but the silence was very uncomfortable.

"Why did you have to show them that?" Kunzite finally asked.

"In the soon to come battle, you are needed as support for the scouts. The support Serenity would have given them. Trust is crucial in this battle, and if Queen Beryl had reveled first, what I had tonight, the truth would have been twisted and would have caused the girls to mistrust you. There cannot be any mistrust in this battle. They have to come to terms with their deaths and need to know where they stand with you. Since the crystal is gone for now, they can't transform and save Serenity. Once they accept their past and endure all the memories, they will be strong enough to receive their powers."

"And who will give them their powers?" Darien asked. Sailor Pluto pressed her lips together firmly, refusing to answer that question. Darien frowned, knowing she wouldn't divulge any information.

"Just tell us. Is it Queen Serenity?" Nephrite asked. Pluto shook her head no and sighed.

"It will all be reveled in due time. For now, I need to talk to the girls." She left them and headed down the hallway. She knew the door was locked and she used her powers to enter the room. She found them lost in their own thoughts. When they finally noticed her entrance, they all gave her their attention.

"We heard what you told them." Ami said, bringing her knees to her chin.

"A lot of things have happened since yesterday morning." Mina added. Sailor Pluto nodded.

"Why did you send them to us?" Lita asked. Pluto graced them with a rare, wistful smile.

"You had second chances to live. But the opportunity to love them again in this time was lost to you. They were trapped in crystal for a thousand years, living eternally alone. They were taken by Beryl as well, but never given the chance to live again like you. I know that a lot has happened, but a lot has happened to them as well. You can't face the world alone and you can't face Queen Beryl alone as well. Think about Serenity, its your duty to protect her as well as the world. Take what help you can." She ended patting Lita on the leg to assure her. They sat in silence, taking in her words. A loud knock on the door made them jump and Pluto answered, only to be greeted by a hysterical Darien.

"Serena's gone!"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

AN: I know I know! It's been a while since I updated any of my stories, and I'm not going to make any excuses because laziness isn't one of them. However, I made this chapter long to try to make up for my tardiness. I hope it works...anyway next chapter I planned to make it...er...a little more interesting if you get my drift.

Thank you all for all the urgings to get this chapter out and for all the great reviews. As for my other stories, I'm halfway done with them, but don't know when I'll get my next creative wind. I'm sorry for those as well and hope you'll be patient with me a little longer. Anywhoo, REVIEW me please love you all lots and lots kisses MUH!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Serena could hear them talking in low mummers in the next room. They were probably talking about her and what a failure as a leader she was. She should have known! Her past self said that they would be taken and they couldn't do anything about it. If the scouts ever found out that she withheld that information from them, she would be demoted or something! She cursed herself and gently, pulled the blankets off. The cold room hit her fevered body and she winced. She slid her legs off the soft mattress, letting her warm toes touch the smooth cold surface of the floor.

"This is all my fault." She whispered and stood up on shaky feet, walking slowly to the dresser in the far corner of the room and pulling out some warm clothes. She had only been out of bed for not even two minutes, and already she was freezing. Her teeth chattered as she pulled on some cold socks. Her head swam, but she gritted back the wave of dizziness and managed to pull open the window. She made her way down the sidewalk, into a little cavern she scouted a while ago. It was a quite a hike to get there though and in her weakened state, almost impossible. But something told her to go there.

"Serena. What are you doing?" Serena turned to the soft voice. She was tall and beautiful. Of course she knew who she was. In the dreams she had when she was unconscious, she was there. Having her here made the worry and guilt lift a little, but even Sailor Pluto couldn't make her feel better.

"I need to find her. It's my fault she's gone." New tears mounted. "If only I told the scouts, then maybe she would still be here."

Sailor Pluto put a hand on her shoulder. "Even if you had, she still would have been taken from you. It was all foreordained before you were even reborn." She told her. Serena sighed and looked back at the direction of the house. The scouts must be in a frenzy searching for her which even made her feel worse. Her face heated up with frustration. For some reason, she couldn't do anything right!

"But she called me here." Serena murmured, looking at the pond of water, strangely illuminated by the moon. The water looked like a pool of molten silver.

"Call the scouts to you." Sailor Pluto instructed. Serena frowned.

"We don't have telepathy anymore." She told her. Sailor Pluto stood still, ignoring her statement. Not sure what to do, she hesitantly called to them.

_Guys? Can you hear me?_ She was met with silence, and was about to give a troubled sight when Raye's sharp reply hit her.

_Where the hell are you? You had us scouring the whole house and beach. Darien stuck me with Jadeite! Do you know how annoying that was after all we learned tonight?_

_Serena are you okay? You had a fever when you left_. Ami's reply came right after coupled with Mina and Lita.

_Serena, you should have told us when you left._

_You're alright though? _

A smile came to her and she shot them an image of where she was. Sailor Pluto nodded at her and they waited in silence.

XOXOXO

"Over here." Ami told the group. They made their way through some narrow passages, and over smooth rock, splashing in the small puddles of water.

"Where are we going?" Kunzite asked and he grabbed for Mina after she tripped over a small rock. She gave him a grateful smile and caught up with the others.

"This way." Raye answered him moodily, trying to put herself between Lita and Darien because Jadeite was being a little too touchy. She still needed some space from him. The heavy weight that had been trampling her down was lifting gradually and Jadeite knew that. He knew everything about her she thought grumpily and folded her arms in a pout before she knew what she was doing.

"My spitfire Princess." He said after catching up with her and giving her neck a small squeeze. Raye shuddered and tried to move away from him, but his hand tightened and pressed a sensitive nerve, sending a shock of pleasure through out her whole body. "As soon as this is settled with Serenity, we have much catching up to do." He purred at her and squeezed again.

_Damn you Serena_. She whispered furiously through telepathy.

_Come off it Raye. You know you like it_. Lita shot back at her. Lita was mere inches away from her, if she…

_Don't even think about it_. Mina warned from behind her.

"Everyone's against me today." Raye muttered under her breath.

"Did you say something Darling?" Jadeite asked with a mirthful glint in his blue eyes. Raye scowled even more and kept her mouth shut.

Ami looked up from her computer screen at where they were and she halted.

"What?" Zoicite asked her, looking at the screen. Ami bit her lip and looked around once more, then looked at the screen. There were two entries, and they looked identically alike.

"Serena!" Lita called out and they waited, listening for her reply beyond the crashing waves and chirping bugs.

_Over here_. She called out to them, but it was Darien who heard it. The sound of her voice let him relax a little, knowing that she was alright. He gently pushed his way to the front and listened once more. When she finally called for a second time, he shot out in that direction and had the others stumbling after him. The cavern was small, but wide enough to house them all. Serena was sitting on a rock, letting her toes dog into the white sand.

"Oh god Serena." He said meaningfully and went to her. He embraced her small body and gently hugged her in reassurance. Her head fell against his cheek and he pulled back quickly. "You're burning up!" He exclaimed and touched her flushed face.

"I'm sorry." She whispered sleepily. Her eyes were dully with weariness. He could feel how weak she was as he held her to him.

"Why are you here?" Lita asked her gently, softly brushing Serena's hair out of her face.

"She calls me here." Serena said and with all her strength, she lifted her head and looked beyond Darien's shoulder to the pool of water that was glittering even more so. It turned sliver, then blue, green, orange and finally red.

"That's freaky." Mina said, but her eyes were transfixed on the changing colors. Her grip of Kunzite's arm slackened and she took a step to the pond. Serena had fell back asleep, and as Darien began to call out to Mina to ask what was wrong, Nephrite spoke.

"Look at the girls." He said in a concerned voice. Like Mina, the others were looking at the changing waters, and their eyes had glossed over, like they were hypnotized or something.

"Don't touch them." A sharp voice told them sternly. Sailor Pluto emerged from the shadows, with her rod poised at Jadeite. He dropped his hand from Raye and took a step away from her.

"What is going on?" Kunzite demanded.

"Move away from them." She told them in a dead, soft voice. They all exchanged looks with one another, but did as she said. They trusted her enough not to ask questions.

One by one, in single file, as soon as the water turned blue, Ami stepped into the water and likewise with the others as the colors changed. The pool was deeper than it looked and when the girls had the water to their waists, the water bubbled like a Jacuzzi.

"Your turn, Queen Serenity." Pluto said and brought the butt of her rod down with a loud bang. The ground began to gently tremble, and Pluto moved away from the place she struck the ground. A sliver circle formed, and soon, they could see a crown of sliver, white hair emerge, then her eyes, nose, mouth and so on until Queen Serenity stood proudly in front of them. Darien shielded his eyes from the brightness of Pluto's magic. This power, it was so familiar. Serena trembled in his arms and a small comforting smile on her lips.

"Well done, my faithful guardian." She praised the stoic Pluto, who merely bowed slightly.

"What is going on?" Nephrite asked her. Queen Serenity clasped her hands in front of her and gave each one of them a warm smile and blazing look over. She finally rested her eyes on a protective young man that held a flushed young girl in his arms. Even though she looked so much like her daughter, this girl wasn't. She couldn't feel Serenity inside of her, not one trace. She felt tears weld up, but she abruptly blinked them back.

A sound sense of loss. That's what she felt. This girl, Serena, was lonely with out her counter part.

She blamed herself for the kidnapping.

Queen Serenity felt for the girl, because she felt just as responsible for what had happened. She took a deep breath and opened her hand. Four dark stones rested in her palm.

"What are those?" Zoicite asked, craning his neck to see them. Queen Serenity smiled gently, looking thoughtfully at the dull brown stones. She caressed each one with her soft finger and then raised her head to speak to the guards.

"It was necessary for the girls to relive their tragic deaths in order for them to trust you and be able to summon enough strength to change without Princess Serenity's power. Of course in the past, they didn't need the help of the crystal to transform. But as time went by and the scouts' power was unused, it lost potency, therefore in order to jumpstart it again, it needed a little boost from the crystal. These stones I set before you are the things that will help them regain their strength." She tossed the stones up in the air, where they hovered, each one twisting and turning color. Orange, red, green and blue. Queen Serenity reached out for them, but Pluto stopped her by placing a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Let them have the honor." She told her quietly. The Queen looked thoughtfully at the Guardian of Time and gave a slight bow in her direction.

"Lord Kunzite." Pluto said. The orange stone flew in front of him, resting at eye level. He took the stone with shaky hands. It pulsed warmly in his hands, like he was holding a heart beat, full of light and love and happiness.

The other guards looked at Kunzite oddly when a smile came to his usually, stony face. It felt like her, he thought dimly and felt the power speed up as he got closer to Mina. It was like his heart was beating rapidly, in sync with the stone. Like the first time he kissed her and knew that he loved her. It was an exciting feeling, a scary feeling.

"Drop it into the water." He faintly heard Queen Serenity's instructions. He dropped it, suddenly back into reality.

XOXO

"Mina, daughter." Mina blinked her eyes open and saw two figures shrouded in amber light, holding their hands out to her. But the voices, they sounded familiar, so familiar.

"Mother?" She whispered. As soon as the words escaped her mouth, they came into view. She rubbed her eyes, making sure she was seeing right.

"Daughter, you have grown." Her father told her fondly with a bright smile on his angelic face. The amber hue made their blonde hair shine so brightly, they looked like halos.

"Is this a dream?" Her parents both chuckled.

"It is time." Her mother said and held up her hand, her father followed suit.

"Time?" She asked, looking at them in bewilderment.

"Time for you to save the Princess darling." Her father said.

"Time for you to love again." Her mother echoed after him. "Look up." Mina did so and saw Kunzites face swirling above her.

"But, if you don't want to jump into it…"

"Mika!" Her mother scolded and gave him a swat on the arm. Her father rubbed it moodily.

"Well, she can finish school and things like that before she falls in love again. I mean, Kunzite will always be there waiting." He protested with fatherly protectiveness. Her mother rolled her eyes heavenward and shook her head. Mina was a bit taken back, but she giggled.

"Do whatever you feel is right Mina, you have a good head on your shoulders. We'll be watching." Her mother's voice faded away as her parents touched her face.

"You can still wait on the love thing." Her father said stubbornly and Mina smiled, suddenly feeling invincible.

XOXO

Kunzite watched as Mina blinked her eyes, the dazed look suddenly gone. Amber light exploded around her and then, it was gone in an instance.

"Whoa." She breathed and then frowned. "What just happened?"

Kunzite gave a sigh of relief and held out a hand to help her out of the water. Mina looked a little surprised, but when she took his hand and felt it all sweaty with nervousness, she knew that it was time. To love him again.

"Lord Nephrite." The green stone flew in front of him, lowering to eye level. He glanced over to Kunzite and Mina, seeing that something, whatever it was made her change. The tips of his fingers brushed against the smooth surface of the stone. It hummed, like it was charged. When the power intensified, he held it fully. Gentle electric currents messaged his hand. A feeling of strength and vulnerability spread through out his chest, making it hard to breath. Little sparks of green electricity sizzled around his hand, nipping at his flesh playfully. It was like Lita's heart was in the stone, like she was happy to see him. He looked in the water and saw an amused smile on her lips for some reason.

"Drop it into the water." He did so without even knowing what he did.

XOXO

Lita looked around the blank room she was in. Well, if you could call it a room she thought. It had no walls, no floor, or a ceiling.

"About time you showed up." A low murmur made her turn around, on guard.

"It's just like you to be so impatient Luka." Luka? Wasn't that her father's name back on Planet Jupiter?

"I see the boy is still waiting for her." Her father said nonplussed by his wife's comment. Lita searched around for them, but all she could hear was their voices.

"She's lucky and he's head over heels in love with her. Why aren't you impressed?" Her mother asked.

"Impressed? No boy will be good enough for my daughter." He replied back smartly.

"Now you see why she kept him from us. You're so negative." Her mother's voice sounded annoyed. There was a sigh from behind her and she whipped around, coming face to face with her tall, beautiful parents.

"Mommy?" Lita asked, like someone knocked her upside the head and she was dazed or something.

"Darling, you look so beautiful!" She nudged the beaming King of Jupiter in the side, making him grunt. "See? I told you she would get my eyes." Her father squinted kindly at her and gave a nod.

"True. But she has my fighting spirit eh Lita." Lita bobbed her head, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Oh, don't cry! You'll make me cry and we don't have time for that now." Her mother said in a soothing voice, tenderly wiping away her tears. She held up her hand, and her father followed suit.

"Its time darling, to save your Princess and to open you heart once more." Her father said, despite what he and her mother were arguing about earlier. Lita knew, that deep down, her father really liked Nephrite.

"It'll be okay now, you'll see." Her mother said and they both faded away.

XOXO

Nephrite watched her closely. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked right at him. Green energy exploded around her, and then it was gone the next second.

"This water is freezing." She finally said after a short silence. Nephrite held out his hand to help her out. She looked at him, really looked at him as if searching for something. Whatever it was, she found it and she took his hand readily. The jacket he had on was soon draped over her shoulders.

"Lord- "

"Oh me! Pick me next!" Zoicite said and pushed in front of Jadeite.

"Hey! I don't think so! It's my turn!" Jadeite protested, yanking Zoicite back roughly.

"I called for it first!" He whined and pushed back to the front again. The two continued to fight over the spot and Pluto put a hand to her head. She was beginning to get a headache.

"Rock, paper, scissors." Darien grunted at the two because he was getting a headache as well. The two faced off, expressions, determined.

In the end Jadeite won and Zoicite sunk to the floor of the cave, defeated and angry. He folded his arms in front of him and glared daggers at Jadeite. The red stone flew up and he took it without hesitation. The stone heated up, burning him, but he felt no pain. Little flames licked his hand, caressing him lovingly and he knew that Raye would be his in no time.

"Drop-" He did so quickly, and saw Queen Serenity shake her head fondly.

XOXO

"Did you see him? He wastes no time!" Raye heard a woman's amused voice.

"Yes dear." A logical male voice said.

"Who's there?" Raye demanded no so much scared as she was confused. One moment she was standing around with the girls, brushing off Jadeite's heated gazed and the next, she was here, hearing voices. She frowned. She wasn't going crazy was she?

"No, only your mother goes crazy. I hope it's not hereditary." The male voice muttered the last part under his breath. She knew that playful humor. It was always aimed at her and the Queen of Mars.

"Dad!" She moaned. Soon the King and Queen of Mars appeared before her. Her mother was glaring at her father, and her father was looking away, rocking in his heels, whistling innocently.

"So what if it was?" Her mother shot back. Her purple eyes a blazed with challenge.

"Then lord help us?" He offered playfully. Her mother couldn't keep a smile off her face.

"Shut up my love." She said and kissed him lightly on the corner of his mouth. Her father winked at her. He reminded her so much of Jadeite. She scowled at her turn of thought. Why was she always thinking of him? Like, everything she looked at was a constant reminder.

"Because love can make you forget everything else, that's why." Her father answered for her. She gave him a look and he held up his hand in defense.

"Really Ryas, can you keep out of her mind? Girls have things they don't want you to hear and our daughter is no different." Her mother scolded. Her father nodded his head in a sigh.

"Still, what I said stands." Her father said in a more serious tone. Her mother looked at him fondly and nodded in agreement.

"You're so much like me Raye. And I know it's hard to think that we have a weakness, because we want to be strong and faithful to our duties. But, with someone by our side, we can be even stronger." She said and gazed lovingly at the King of Mars.

"Awww." He said and made her mother blush. Even now he can still make her blush. Jadeite use to do that….

"Its time Raye. Time to fulfill you destiny." Her father told her with a warm smile.

"Trust your heart Daughter. It will do you good in the long run…" Her mother echoed after her and then they were gone and she was looking blankly at the worried, but suspiciously eager face of Jadeite.

XOXO

Jadeite watched as, slowly but surly, Raye's eyes became focused again. In the depths of her beautiful amethyst eyes, something changed in her. This pleased him to no words, but something stopped him from wrapping her in his arms and kissing her breathless. Because Raye was a very cautious person, and even though she had forgiven him for what had happened in the past. It still bothered her. She still needed to make peace with herself. Suddenly, it became very hot in the cavern and red exploded around her and then it was gone. Just like what had happened to the others before her.

"Are you alright?" He finally asked after staring at her for eternity. She wet her bottom lip and nodded slowly.

"Yes." She said and gently took his helpful hand and let him lift her out of the water. When she stood next to him, he didn't feel the unease that was there earlier, she was more relaxed, but more defensive too.

"Lord Zoicite." The Queen made the stone float in front of him. His green eyes focused on the blue stone. He looked from the stone to Ami, who was the only on left in the water.

"Can't leave the lady waiting." He chirped happily and grabbed the stone. It felt wet, and smooth. Invisible ripples pushed at his fingers, like they were messaging him. It was gentle, soft, like Ami's love. So very soft, it lulled him. Like the way she would stroke his hair after a long day. They way she whispered sweet nothings, teasingly in his ear. A feeling in his heart erupted, knowing that in a few short minutes, she would be his. She was so close, so close…

XOXO

Ami looked all around her. It looked like a pocket of space, void of all time, hanging in limbo in a sub-dimensional …

"Over thinking like usual." A warm, male voice spoke up. Goosebumps emerged at the familiar sound.

"It proves that she had a good mind on her shoulders." A soft, cool motherly voice said in fondness.

"Well, can't she just think that magic exists? I mean she was reborn by magic." The male voice said in suggestion.

"True, but all sorts of magic have to have some scientific explanation." Ami echoed and put a thoughtful finger to her chin.

"Ami, daughter, you and your mother wear me out." The male voice said in a sigh. Ami beamed at the compliment.

"Why thank you father." She said dryly. As soon as the words escaped her mouth, her parents shimmed into focus in front of her.

"So, here we are. Queen Serenity was right, they have grown." Her mother said kindly. Her blue eyes sparked with motherly pride. Ami blushed at the complement, suddenly very shy. Her father nodded his agreement.

"She was right, it is time." He said. Ami frowned.

"Time?" She looked questionably at them.

"Time to do what you were called to. Both physical and emotional." Her mother said with a gentle look. She and her father lifted their hands and all she saw was blue…

XOXO

Zoicite was practically bouncing in excitement and anticipation.

"Come on love, come to me." He murmured over and over again watching her very closely. Soon her eyes fluttered open and she looked directly at him, He blue eyes clashed his own green ones. The aurora around her vibrated, and then in a quick flash of blue, it was over. But there moment seemed to last a life time. Like time stopped and waited for them to come to an understanding.

"Uh…a little help?" She asked meekly, looking at him for support. She didn't know what that little outreach did for him. It was like a great weight lifted off his shoulders. Now, he could relax and quit holding his breath when he was around her. He reached out and took her hand, not knowing he was shaking until she gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Much is to be done scouts. Queen Beryl must not use the Imperial Crystal." Queen Serenity let out a troubled sigh and looked at the sleeping Serena. "I fear for my daughter, and the world." She said quietly and they shimmed away in silver smoke and they were left staring at the dimly glowing circle where Pluto's magic soon faded away.

Pluto stared at the scouts with no emotion on her face. "Perhaps you should not waste time." She finally said and she too left without another word.

Darien shifted Serena in his arms and stood up, taking her out of the cave and back to the house. There were no words exchanged between the guards and the scouts, but, they stayed close to one another, especially Raye and Jadeite, which surprised him because he thought that those two would be the last to accept their fate, well, Raye would have at least.

The two cats greeted them at the top steps of the beach house. He knew that Pluto came to see them because they asked no questions. He took Serena to the bedroom and put her down, ordering someone to get him a wet cloth to dab her forehead. Her eyes moved rapidly under her lids. A vivid dream. He thought. People always had delusions when they had a fever as bad as hers. He wondered what she was dreaming, if she was dreaming about him. A whimsical smile played on his lips and he brushed a light kiss on her nose.

XOXO

"Help me!" She heard the voice in the distance calling out to her. "Serena, you have to come for me, I become weaker to longer I'm away from Endymion." The Princess side of her told her. Serena searched the pitch black abyss for her, but the problem was it _was_ pitch black.

"The longer you are away from Endymion?" Serena asked in confusion.

"The spell, remember the words Serena, help me…"

"Never let my love and I part…" Serena whispered.

"I need him Serena, we need him…"

Wait for me Serenity, my other self, I'll come. She felt his hand holding hers and she gave it a gentle squeeze. "We'll come."

XOXOXO

Either

AN: Well, here's the latest update. The next chapter, the guard and scout activity will pick up. I know last chapter I promised more steamy scenes, but I thought that if I put it into this chapter, it would have been to fast, but rest assured, there will be other lemons later. I started another story that I want you all to read and review, just to see if I should continue it, so read the short chapter and tell me what you think…

Love you all lots and lots...kisses muh (forgot to add that little thing there...sheepish smile and a bow of apology)


	17. Chapter 17

AN: WARNING, a lemon, (yes I finally got around to it :smiles shyly:), or should I say :ahem: various lemons in the following chapter.

Chapter 17

It had been a whole week since they received their powers, and throughout that whole week, the scouts and guards trained night and day, trying to prepare themselves for the upcoming battle. When they would stop for a break, they would always check up on Serena who, for some reason, would stare out the window, like she was looking for something.

Little by little, she gained back what little power she could and strength, with Darien there the whole time, helping her and keeping a very, very close eye on her. Sometimes, the scouts and guards would spy on them when they took leisure walks on the beach, hand in hand sometimes, talking quietly, and even smiling. This was a good sign for them, they scouts knew, their bond was being formed and tenderness developed between both of them. And they could happily say that they too, were finding some of that tenderness with the guards. It took a while for them to get there, but they were there in love once again.

One would think that they were hit by some giddy bug, because so much laughter filled the air, even when they were training. They were getting acquainted faster then ever. But even in their moments of bliss, not once did they forget what they were there for.

Luna and Artemis were always gone, to search for an opening to Beryl's lair, or what ever you called it, and each time they came back, they knew they were getting closer and closer to finding it. Which made the Scouts and Guards a little antsy. They knew that this battle could be their last, and the impending doom of their fates was making them cast anxious looks at one another. Sure they made their resolves with one another. Well…almost. There was still one thing that both sides wanted, but without the other side knowing. Someone needed to take a stand, and be brave, so they can get what they want, before time runs out.

XOXOXO

Ami and Zoicite were sitting alone in the office room, both on separate side, going over the notes Luna and Artemis left for them. Everyone was gone for the day, the girls, treating the guards to a show at the club, and Serena and Darien had gone off alone, like they had been doing for sometime now. The scouts and guards were wise, not to ask where too.

Zoicite was settled at the desk, and Ami, at the leather couch a ways away. She looked at the papers, and frowned, and popped another piece of ice in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. She gave the unsuspecting Zoicite a little frustrated glare when he kept a 'proper' distance.

Really, she thought thoroughly peeved, how come he was acting so damn, gentlemanly, now, when she wanted him the most? Back in the Silver Millennium, he was brazen and impolite, determined to get her into his bed, and now…well, now, he was acting so damn _proper_ to her, and not taking advantage of there aloneness.

She popped another piece of ice in her mouth and shuffled through the papers. She paper cut herself and grimaced at the small little line of blood. Her mouth was cold when she popped her pinky in her mouth. Pleasantly so, she looked at her cup of ice, and then Zoicite's vulnerable ears. A wicked smile crept to her lips as she popped another piece of ice in her mouth, letting it melt and make her mouth even colder. Carefully, she placed, the papers, down on the floor and thought fleetingly of excuses for her sudden closeness to him.

She leaned over her shoulders, her cold mouth close to his neck. He stiffened noticeably. Even in her boldness, her heart pounded fiercely in her chest, and her hands shook as she slid them across his shoulders.

"Find anything yet?" Her cold, breath caressed his cheek. He cleared his throat.

"Nothing useful." He admitted, not making an effort to move away from her. Her closeness to him, made her feel, how the vein in his neck fluttered wildly.

"All this searching, don't you think we need a break?" She suggested.

"What kind of break?" He asked in a shaky voice. Her trembling lips, moved closer to his ear, and she touched her cold lips to it, ever so slightly. His reaction was instantaneous. He move his face to meet hers and his hungry lips ravished hers. He turned his chair around and pulled her on his lap, where she straddled his legs and leaned her body, more closely onto his. The heated kiss left her breathlessly pleased. His hands moved under her shirt, caressing her back, and fingering the claps of her bra and yanking it, making it snap her back.

"Ah!" She cried in pain and frowned at an apologetic Zoicite. She smiled in an understanding way and pushed back. She said and pulled her shirt over her head. In his smoldering eyes, eagerly took in the creamy expanse of her bare chest. He bolted up and began kissing her revealed skin. She giggled and unfastened her bra with excitedly shaky hands, letting the clothing fall in their laps.

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, partly because she was nervous, because, she knew that she started this and he would certainly finish it. Even in the past, she knew that even though he was scary intelligent, he was mostly ruled by desire. And once he or she started something, he was always once to finish it. He never left things undone. And another reason her heart beat so rapidly in her chest, was because, she wasn't as fully developed as she was in the past. But the look in his eyes put that feeble thought to rest.

She leaned down and kissed him tenderly at first, not to sure how fast he wanted to go, but he took the kiss further, ravishing her mouth, making her body tingle with awareness and need, she rocked on his lap unconsciously, wanting what only he could offer her. Their labored breathing was heard in the hushed room, along with the sounds of their desperate kisses. Zoicite's whole body pulsed with pent up desire. She never knew how much he longed for her. How much his body would ache, to just feel her, even if it was just his fingertipsa light caress even. She would never know how much his heart burned for her, to seek solace within her warm, loving arms. Maybe that was why, he was blindly caressing her. It was like, no matter how much he touched her, it would never be enough. Her lips tasted like clean, water, still cold from the ice she teased him with. She leaned further in, and he leaned back into the chair, but soon, it tipped backwards and had them sprawled on the floor. They laughed it off, and assaulted each other once again. He pulled at Ami's shorts, as she fumbled with the drawstring of his swim shorts. They broke away from each other briefly to be free of their restraining clothes.

Naked, they clashed again. Zoicite rolled her to their sides, where he slipped a knee between her legs to part them. Her breath caught in her throat, as she stilled and gazed steadily at him with dark, sultry eyes. It was a silent wait, as he eased himself inside her. It took a lot of control on his part, not to proceed with haste and end things before they even started. He even had to grit his teeth, to hold in his raging thirst. Slow, he had to do it painfully slow. Inch, by inch, he penetrated her until he met with her maidenhead. He took a steadying breath, and pulled her hips up to meat his as he fully took her innocence. She didn't cry out in pain like he expected her to do, although he knew it hurt. Instead, she moved up and then down, urging him to just move with her.

Ami wasn't really one to be squeamish when it came to pain, and took it like a pro. To get to know his body once more made her dizzy with happiness. Her muscles clenched together, as he moved in, and then relaxed as he pulled out. It was a steady rhythm, she adjusted to, but she felt the tension in her body build, until it was almost unbearable.

Along the way, he managed to get her fully beneath him, and he was cradled between her hot thighs. Her feet were planted on either side of him, to lift herself and rotate her hips and increase their friction together. He felt her warm pants tickle his ear, as he leaned his head into her neck to kiss that sweet spot, behind her ear, that always made her blood boil. When he felt her tense, he drove deeper inside of her to catch the wave of her orgasms, and revel in her pleasure. When he knew that she was sated with her climax, he moved deeper and faster, working into a frenzy, loving the sound of his name in her hot pants. The moment was cascaded in time. The moment, when his whole body shuddered with his release. The singing of his nerves, the utter lax of their finished passion. A passion that had long been denied to them in a span of a thousand year. It was like, everything was theirs now. Everything, was finally okay…

XOXO

Raye, Mina, Jadeite and Kunzite were seated in the vacant Dark Corner in their club, chowing down on some complementary peanuts and drinking bottled water when something passed over them. It wasn't an unpleasant sensation really, but it pulled at a very sensitive feeling and want in their bodies. Raye and Mina glanced at one another.

_Ami?_ Lita's question broke through their thoughts and they frowned in unison.

_It did feel like Ami didn't it?_ Raye thought. They searched the mind of their friend to see if she was alright. What they did hear in her thoughts was very disturbing indeed. It was a flutter of emotions they felt with her, mixed with a few words that made them blush.

_Our little Ami took things into her own hands did she?_ Mina thought, amused by the fact.

_We should really take her lead. It would have benefited us all._ Lita poked at them with laughter.

_I can't believe she did that! She beat me to it!_ Raye cried out to them, mildly amused, but mildly jealous. She gave a discreet look at Jadeite, who sat ridged in his chair, crushing the plastic bottle in his hand. I wonder if he had the same link with Zoicite? She shifted her eyes downward, looking at her hands. They were shaking. Her knees felt like they were shaking too, knocking together and she felt a faint pulsing inside of her. God, was she really that…wanting? She groaned inside when she answered her own question. Yes she was. She was a wanton. A bloody wanton. Goodness, she simple fact kicked her in the stomach. She slammed the bottle down with an unknown feeling and decided to go to the office. Maybe paperwork could get her mind off of things and help her decide how she was going to approach him. She had to admit, Ami was damn good at getting what she wanted, and she would do just the same. A smile lit her face when she felt him follow after her. When she reached the retro metal door to their office room, she swung it open and proceeded to her desk. Jadeite came as well, standing stiffly in the doorway.

"Should I close the door?" He asked. Raye stared blankly at him. Should he? She resisted the urge to bit her bottom lip. If he did, then that was her signal to him that she was ready for him. For the intimate closeness that was sure to follow. She had to admit to herself, as he waited for an answer that she had never been so nervous ever in her life time. It wasn't fear that really caused her nervousness it was the raw vulnerability she would be exposing herself to. In her passion, all her guard would be let down. Did she trust him enough to let him in? This was the last hurdle they had to jump in order to fully commit to one another. She looked at him, seeing all the lust and love in his eyes, and the patience. He loved her enough to be patient if she didn't want to. And she…

And she loved him enough to fully mean the word she said next. "Yes." She said breathlessly, her heart hammering loudly in her chest and knees knocking together.

He shut the door firmly, turning the deadbolt into place. Silently, he walked to her, stopping short, inches from her. He was standing so close that she could feel his body heat radiate off of him, and smell soap and the laundry detergent from his clothes. He reached out for her and pulled her into a warm embrace. He was mentally readying himself, she understood. He was as nervous as she was and that brought her immense comfort. They could do this, and learn together again. She moved her hands up his strong back as he lowered his mouth to kiss her cheek and nibble her ear. Goosebumps emerged on her arm and she giggled and felt him smile as he kissed her mouth. Their tongues laced together in a sensual dance of teasing and temptation. Their breathing became labored and shallow and they took a gulp of air and then their mouths came together again. He backed her to the front of her desk and lifted to sit. Her knees hugged his hips as he leaned into her, with one arm around her slim waist and one around her shoulders. Her head tilted to the side as he rained slow, soft, wet kisses down her cheek and chin and sensitive neck. He stop at a fluttering vein and moved a little back to caress that secret spot he touched earlier. Pleasure coursed down her body, making her warm. She let out a moan of delight, suddenly wanting him to move faster.

It frustrated her when he didn't speed up. In the past, when ever she wanted him to move faster, he did, no questions asked. But he was going so damn slow. She growled in protest and rocked her hips hard against him. His arms tightened around her in defiance, he went even slower, kissing his way back to her mouth. When he finally stopped at his destination, she opened her mouth and demanded, through her kiss, to go faster. And he ignored her.

"Jadeite." She hissed at him in warning.

"No." He murmured back. She broke away from him breathlessly and met his glimmering blue eyes.

"Yes." She insisted heatedly and undid the strings to her red corsets shirt and let it fall open. His eyes darkened and he took a deep breath to calm his pulsing desire. This is one time she wouldn't get what she wanted, he was making sure of it. But if she kept looking at him with those alluring eyes and…he groaned when she barley touched the soft mounds of her breast, trailing her fingers down the light blue veins and to her nipple that hardened under her gentle touch. "Do it Jadeite." She dared him in a husky whisper, getting really turned on by the way he was looking at her.

"I said no." He said in a wavering, but determined voice. "I want this time to be different from the first time. Don't you see? We're starting over again, and people rarely do that. And no matter what…" He gulped when she did it again to the other breast. "and no matter what, I'm not going to go faster then I should have to." He told her firmly. Raye looked at him thoughtfully, a wicked idea entering her mind. But on the out side, she smiled serenely.

"Alright Jadeite. If you insist." She told him and leaned back on her desk, waiting. In the back of his mind, he should have known that she wouldn't give up that easily. But his mind was so clouded with desire and lust, that wouldn't see until the very end. They undressed each other until all they had on was their underwear, minus a bra because Raye hadn't wore one that day. Their kisses were gentle wandering over each other with a mission. Jadeite swept one arm over her desk, making her paper and things flutter to the ground. He leaned her down. Her long hair fell over the other side of the desk, like black satin. He roamed his palm up her hips and stomach, as she arched up, moaning softly. With her eyed closed, Raye relished in his touches. Her legs dropped from his hips as he kissed down her body, her breast and taking her nipple in his mouth. She gasped with delight at the heat of his mouth, and his tongue lapped over her sensitive skin.

She didn't know how much more she could take that. He was doing this on purpose, she thought, and sat up when her pulled her to him. She had to be smooth about this. She thought as she stroked his taunt stomach and slipped her fingers into the waist band of his boxers. He pulled away from her, but she clamped her legs around him tightly, not letting him move an inch, and the more he tried to move, the further she let her hand wander. He jerked hard, and in his movement, the desk moved, making her body hit against his. Jadeite swore softly, suddenly knowing that she could never be submissive when he wanted her to be. But then again, he would never want a submissive lover. Her hunger had to match his own, and in the past, he had gone through a lot of lovers to find one. And he never did, until he met her. As soon as they finished their bout of lovemaking, a new hunger sparked in him, and she would always meet it.

Raye slipped her hands on both sides of his underwear and pulled them down. She looked down at him in awe, and with her shaky hands, she touched the tip of him. He stilled, with his eyes closed. Encouraged but this, she put a hand around him and squeezed as she moved her hand down. She did it slowly, watching his face. He groaned and bent his head down, breathing a little harshly.

"That's enough." He rasped at her and lifted her up to slip off her underwear. He grabbed her hips and poised himself at her entrance. Raye sucked in a deep breath when he breeched her fully. His mouth muffled her scream and her nails raked down his back when the pain hit her. He drove deep inside her, buried at the hilt and waited for her to get comfortable with him inside her. He felt her muscled contract around him, and then he angled their bodies and began moving. The glass pencil holders shuddered at their rhythm. Raye's pants were throaty and low, and her hot breaths caressed his neck sending various shivers down his back and throughout his body.

She was so hot and tight, he didn't know if he could hold back much longer. He would withdraw until the end, and then drive deep back inside her with hard thrusts, and she would meet him every time, leaning once again how to use her inner muscles. As they rocked steady together, her hair would sway back and forth, ticking his outer thighs and arms. He reach between their bodies, and stroked her and she tensed, feeling the beginning of her climax. With his stroking and his thrusts, it didn't take much time for her to find that sweet release. He coved her mouth with his other hand as she screamed. He hissed when she dug her nails into his shoulder and he moved faster to gain his own release. She felt him pulse inside of her and it was her turn to cover his mouth when he cried out with satisfaction.

His legs felt shaky and he pulled away from her and stumbled into her desk chair of buttery red leather. She pivoted on her desk to face him with a smile of pure content. And he looked so delicious, sprawled in her chair. His blonde curly hair was damp with sweat, and hung in his lazy blue eyes. Her body pulsed with the aftermath, and she hurt a little between her legs, and she was just barely catching her breath, when she was consumed by hunger again, and from the looks of it, Jadeite was having the same reaction.

"That was fun. Let's do it again." She said devilishly and jumped on him in the chair.

XOXO

Serena felt a small smile light her lips when Raye's thoughts came to her. She looked at a naked Darien, snoozing in the beach towel beside her, with his back turned to her. She gazed fondly at him before silently standing and putting on her clothes. The sun was beginning to set and the light made the small waves shimmer like molten bronze glitter. For the past couple of days, she had been thinking about her dreams and about her friends. And she knew that only Mina and Lita were left. Not that she was worried. She had secretly roamed through their thoughts and knew they were planning their seductions as were the guys because Darien had told her so.

She took a deep breath and began walking through the cold sand, coming to a large smooth rock. She climbed it and sat with her knees to her chin, watching the seagulls fly above her in the dimming sky.

Soon, Luna and Artemis were going to find the entrance to Queen Beryl, but she couldn't wait that long. She trusted the scouts enough to let them handle that, and it wasn't like they would be alone. As soon as her last two scouts and Darien's last two guards fully commit to one another, then the guards would gain their powers back. At that event wouldn't be too far off. But she couldn't wait until they did. She had to move. Tonight to be exact. She and Darien planned it. But the others couldn't know. They would try to stop them, or even worse, try to help them. Where she and Darien were going, was dangerous, and only they could do it.

"A penny for your thoughts." Darien's warm voice vibrated against her ear. She turned to see him sit next to her. She could still smell the remnants of their passion on him, and she was sure he could to because his eyes were dark and lust filled. She planted a tender kiss on his bottom lip.

"It's time to go." She whispered. Soon, his eyes cleared and he nodded his head. "Endymion." She called out to him. Darien's face went blank as he tired to push Endymion's conscious forward. Endymion was fighting it, she could tell. "Endymion we need your help." She told him softly, tears welling in her eyes. "We need to find her. Are you giving up already? Are you a coward?" She shot at him. Soon, Darien's face filled with a cross between anger and utter sadness. "Only you can tell us where she is. Please Endymion, take us to her."

Endymion looked at this young girl who looked identical to his wife. For someone so young, she had a lot of heart and a lot of determination. She looked lost, lonely despite the great abundance of friends and family. She shouldn't feel that way, but she did, because part of her was missing. He desperately wanted Serenity back, so he had to face the pain, and face the guilt in order to do so.

"What makes you think that I know where she is?" He asked, standing up. The girl stood as well.

"Your heart. When Serenity put that binding spell on you." She explained. He looked at her skeptically and folded his arms. He could smell sex in the air. It was on him and on her. Her lips were still a little swollen and her cheeks were flushed, even though it was a little cold.

Of course.

His other half and this girl became lovers. He should have suspected it would happen. But he had been so wrapped up in his self loathing that he failed to see what was happing in the present. His other half, Darien, cared a great deal for this girl. More than he would admit to himself.

_:That's not true. Serena and I share an understanding:_ His voice broke through his thoughts and startled him. He felt Darien snicker.

_:Now you know how it feels:_ He was amused at this thought and laughed out loud making Serena look at him like he had gone crazy. Fool yourself all you want. An understanding. That's a good one boy he shot back. He felt Darien bristle at being called a boy.

_:Look, all of that aside, its up to you to find Serenity. You need to try:_ Endymion was amused once again to have the boy change the subject. Avoiding the obvious. I remember those days myself. Tell me, do you find yourself up at nights, thinking about her? Or feel your heart race when she smiles at you? Are you never sated after a passionate night with her? Do you feel sad when she's not around you, even if she's just in the other room? Does your blood boil when you see other men look at her with longing and appreciation? Like that night you caught her at the club she and the others opened? He asked. Darien was silent.

_:That's none of your business. Your business if finding Serenity and freeing her from Beryl:_ He said defiantly. Endymion felt himself scowl at the answer. You would bring the girl you love on a dangerous mission? Are you crazy?

Darien chuckled._: Just try to talk her out of it:_ He told him.

"I don't think you should come." Endymion told her firmly. Serena looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Oh?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "Well, I don't really care what you think. This is as much my battle as it is yours Prince Endymion and whether you approve or not, I'm going." She told him with a stubborn tilt in her head and blazing eyes. And then she smiled. "Besides, tell me, if you do manage to rescue her, what are you going to do with an entity you can't hold?" She asked him brightly.

Darien chuckled even harder which turned into a laugh that he had a hard time catching his breath over. Endymion had to admit to himself that she was right, and he mentally kicked Darien to shut up. _:Ouch! That hurt:_ Darien protested.

"Very well girl. Shall we gather the scouts and guards?" He asked making his way off the rock.

_:No:_

"No!" Serenity and Darien cried out in unison. He frowned at both of them.

"May I ask you why not? Surly we won't be able to do this alone." He asked them both softly in a murmur. Serena looked down at her feet.

"They can't come yet. Although my scouts have their powers back, your guards do not. Only two couples have yet to commit, and until they do, your guards are useless. We have to give them time. Time that they have, but we do not. Serenity is getting weaker the longer she is away from you and therefore her resistance against Queen Beryl is wearing her down. There is no time to loose. We must go without them. Please, try to contact her." Serena told him. Endymion stared at her for a moment, then closed his eyes and let his heart wonder. Searching for her. Soon whispering could be heard. A lullaby that Princess Raye of Mars composed for Serenity.

A long time ago, he was looking for her. He had searched the cave were they usually spent their nights, but she wasn't there, so he followed the small stream next to the cave, that eventually blossomed into a small secluded pond. He had heard singing, a soft, secret song that hit him hard.

_Deep in my soul, a love so strong it takes control_. He remembered the first words that came out of her mouth. It was just the other night when they had spoken of love to one another. It was such a relief to him that she had felt the same way.

_Now we both know, the secrets bared, the feelings shown_. He remembered quite vividly how they had shown their love for one another. Many, many, many different ways. Some, quite scandalous.

_Driven far apart, I make a wish on a shooting star…_They had watched the stars that night, making wishes together. Counting the uncountable lights in the sky, holding hands, sharing looks.

_There will come a day, somewhere far away, in your arms I'll stay, my only love_. But they knew that were treading dangerous waters, being together. Queen Beryl had gained so many supporters on Earth, that neither he nor his father could do anything. They had tried to gain an audience with the Silver Alliance, but they had barricaded themselves, to try to protect their kingdoms and people. There was nothing they could do. War, was inevitable.

_Even though your gone, love will still live on, the feeling is so strong, my only love, my only love_…And then, that horrible night when Beryl tried to take her from him and persuade him to join her. His Serenity, his beautiful wife defiantly stood up against her even though he could feel her small body quiver with fear. And even now, even though she was gone, he still felt her love for him, he still knew that she was fighting Beryl with everything she got. She was waiting for him.

_You've reached the deepest part, of the secrets in my heart, I've known it from the start, my only love_…

"My only love." He finished for her and snapped his eyes open and looked at the stars, seeing one lone shooting star race across the night sky, to the direction his heart called him to. "Let's go." He told her and they hurried off.

XOXO

Lita and Nephrite entered the house and flipped on the lights. She was hungry. Those peanuts didn't satisfy her hunger. When she wondered into the kitchen, she saw a note written in a feminine hand. It was from Ami. She and Zoicite decided to catch a movie and won't be back until late. The word late was underlined three times, each line was a different color.

"Okay Ames, got your point across." Lita muttered a bit irked that now she and Zoicite were on very intimate terms now. She took some chicken and some vegetables out to start dinner. Mina and Kunzite were trailing behind them and Raye and Jadeite decided to go to a small fair the community was having.

"Need help?" Nephrite asked her. Lita nodded with a smile.

"Breaded chicken with wild rice and salad sound good?" She asked him, pulling out a broiler pan and a large silver pot.

"My stomachs growling just thinking about it." He told her with a sensually dark voice and twinkling dark blue eyes. Lita unconsciously licked her lip and hurried away before she decided to kiss him. They worked in harmony together, preparing the meal, bumping into each other, whether on accident or deliberately. The silence in the kitchen was almost deafening, and the more they were quiet, the more the room was fused with trepidation and tension. It practically hummed.

The salad was done and the chicken was tucked away in the oven with the rice cooking. Lita washed her hands and went to go into the living room, but as she turned, Nephrite was right behind her. All thoughts seemed to drain out of her head. He was so close, and that look in his eyes. It was like a predator was ready to pounce. His eyes were narrowed and brushed her hand across her forehead, pushing a strand of copper hair from her face. Her eyes fluttered closed as he rested his large, warm hand on her cheek. She felt him lean in, and brush his beautiful lips hesitantly across her bottom lip, before kissing her more firmly on her trembling mouth. It wasn't their first kiss, since he stole it the night he changed from a pimply twelve year old to the man he was today. But this kiss was much more appealing because it wasn't demanding, because he roamed her mouth with gentle caresses, testing her boundaries and seeing how far he could go. And for once in her life, she wasn't comparing a kiss to the kisses her senior gave her all those years since their breakup. Nephrite was nothing like the senior, he was much more. He was hers, and only hears. He waited all those years for only her and in a way, deep in her heart, it seemed like she had been waiting for him. Her dashing prince charming, to come sweep her off her feet and carry her to the highest tower of his castle and ravish her until the sun came up the next day.

Nephrite was getting lost in his own kiss. He felt her melt into his arms, a recognizable trait that she was lost was well. Her arms slid around his neck as she pressed her body more fully into his sending his hormones into overdrive. He slipped a knee between her long legs and lifted her so she could ride on his thigh, all the white, pressing her into the doorway arch. He tore his lips from her and fumbled with the front of her shirt. Bit the green tee was like second skin on her, stretching over her generous breast. He saw her nipples were erect under it, which made his mind pulse in and out, like he was losing control.

Might as well be, he thought sheepishly. God, Lita could still make his blood boil. Mmm, her breast, her mouth, her long legs. As he thought these things, his hands roughly lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him. He removed her arms from his neck as well, and pinned them above her head with one hand, and with the other, he pulled a small pocket knife the Prince had given him a few days ago and flipped it open.

Lita stared wide eyed at the knife. God, he was going to do it again. She giggled remembering the past when he would get too impatient with her clothes and slice them off. She had to come up with pretty convincing stories to tell her maids why some of her dresses were shredded. But the wild urgency turned her on more then dirty words could, and Nephrite always came up with scandalous phrases to whisper in her ear.

He slit the top of her shirt where the fabric stretched over her without touching her skin and then released her hands to rip it open. She let out a low sound of her approval over his show and threw her head back as he kissed the top of her breast, licking her in between them. He lifted her up more, kissing her down, under the lace of her bra and her taunt stomach. Butterflies swarmed madly inside her, and in her cloudy brain, she felt her power spark to life. She groaned. It felt so good to be with him, so exhilarating, her powers reacted to the euphoric sensations he was currently putting her though. She rocked on his thigh, and tore at his shirt, burrowing her hands in his soft mahogany hair and bending down to kiss him. He flipped open her jeans, dragging them roughly off her hips, he let her down for only a moment to discard his own, before taking her up the wall again. The cold surface touched her bare back, sending shivers over her body before warming to her body heat. He cupped his hand over her sex and, gently, slid a finger inside of her. She shuddered, around him, whimpering at her primal need to know him again, and bucked against his hand.

"Nephrite." She moaned softly, only to be shushed by another heated, wet kiss. She felt her self slip down the wall, but he lifted her by the waist and she anchored him more firmly to her. He withdrew his hand, and then, placed himself at her entrance, and pushed in, ever so slightly. She sighed out loud, and felt herself stretch, but not to painfully. And then he braced his other hand on the wall, and dragged her hips downward, taking her last bit of sanity along with her. She gasped at the pain, sure, but she didn't pay much attention to it. The feel of him inside her made her think of their long past together, and compare it to now. But then, even though she had been a virgin, he had taken their courtship slow, and they were only intimate toward the end of the Silver Millennium.

She strained toward him in, with her arms wrapped around his neck, and her legs around his hip bones. Her back hit the wall in rhythm with their movements, knocking air out of her laboring lungs. Her hair fell into her face, but she kept eyes contact with him thorough the semi-damp wavy strands. His eyes were bright with passion, and his beautiful sensual mouth was open with his little huffs, and his hair was in disarray, but she thought he couldn't make a more beautiful picture. A strange sense of smugness hit her unexpectedly. Her new awareness of her own sexual power filled her body, making it warmer and she reached between their bodies, touching their link, and down further. He growled in warning, pounding her harder into the wall, so hard, she thought they would make a dent in the sheetrock. His hand around her thigh moved to her behind, where he clutched her cheek hard as he began to reach his climax, but not before she met hers. He almost felt the building of her orgasm, deep in her, start to pulse, before, she jerked, and almost stilled when it over took her senses. Her inner muscles clenched around him, making his own orgasm much sweeter and fulfilling. A small sigh of relief tore from his throat, and he pushed, deeper and deeper inside of her and spent himself, shuddering.

He held her against that wall, it seemed like forever. Her should blades were a bit sore, her heart was beating rapidly as her breaths gradually calmed down, and they both cooled together. Finally, he pulled out and let her slid down until her feet touched the warm spot where his once wore. Her legs were wobbly, and between them pulsed with the aftermath. He pulled her shaking body into his. She laid her head agents his chest, feeling like she just swam in a race. What a picture they must make, he thought, letting out a long sigh of sleepy of satisfaction. Both, naked, hugging like young school children.

"Nephrite?" Lita suddenly said.

"Hum?"

"Is something burning?" She asked. If she meant to be coy, then…wait. He sniffed the air and they pulled apart, looking at one another in alarm.

"The chicken!" They yelled together and ran to the smoky stove to see if it could be spared.

XOXO

Mina looked in distaste at the blacked breast that sat on her plate. She and Kunzite shared an amused, but disgruntled look with one another.

"Tell us again, how did the chicken burn?" Kunzite asked in his cool, aloof voice that would have sent shivers of fear down anyone's back. But the coldness in his voice did the opposite for Mina. It actually sent shivers of pleasure down hers and made desire pool in her stomach. Damn, she loved it when he spoke like that. Lita and Nephrite visibly blushed and picked at the blackened meat also.

"Everyone had bad cooking days." Lita muttered and ate around her chicken.

"So it's like having a bad hair day, only with food?" Mina asked brightly, knowing, just as Kunzite knew, why the chicken _really_ burned.

"Exactly." Nephrite said in a stuffy voice, cutting in to the meat to see just how badly it burnt. _Totally toasted_. Kunzite's voice cut into his head. Nephrite scowled moodily at the man across the table.

"I smell smoke! Who started a fire? Raye was it you?" Zoicite and Ami entered the house, just as the sun went down. Lita and Nephrite sunk deeper in their chairs.

_Everyone's giving me a hard time about my chicken. Well, excuse me if I was a bit side tracked_. She shot at them irritably

_A bit?_ Raye's voice suddenly came into her head, just as she walked through the door with Jadeite, smiling widely at Nephrite.

_Congratulations Nephy. You got more suave that I thought you would. I'm impressed_. Nephrite shot him a glare and stuffed his mouth with dry salad.

_Shut up. So we burned the chicken, big deal. Quit harassing us about it._ Zoicite and Jadeite laughed out loud and Kunzite's lips twitched.

_Alright. We get it._

"Want to order take out?" Mina offered. They all nodded and Lita and Raye helped to clear the dishes.

"I'm surprised Serena and Darien are still gone. Maybe we should call them or something, just to see where they are." Ami said. She borrowed Mina's phone to call Darien's cell. But it rang, and then a muffed ring from the back of the house caught her attention. His phone was ringing on the nightstand in the room he was staying at. She grabbed it and then dialed Serena's phone. Raye ended up finding it in Serena's duffle bag. They shared a worried look.

"Serena always has her phone." Raye told her. They told Mina and Lita about what happened and they all got worried.

"They've been acting secretive lately. But even then, they would already be back by now." Kunzite became instantly alert and made the other guards thoughtful.

"They can't do anything really. I mean, Serena doesn't have her powers, and I'm thinking, that Darien won't have much power because she doesn't. Queen Serenity made it so that, one can't work without the other." Zoicite told them, but a feeling of unease settled in his stomach.

"We found it! We found the opening!" Luna and Artemis burst through the door and skidded to a halt at their feet. "It's back in the city though, in an old abandoned building, but its there. Where are Serena and Darien?" Luna asked, looking around the room for them.

"Not here. They left their phones so we can't get a hold of them." Mina said in a sigh and sunk into the chair. She tried to mentally call out to her, but was met in silence. She looked at Serena's phone in Raye's hand and bit her lip. Something wasn't right about this…goodness, she hoped nothing was wrong. But still, it wasn't like Serena to leave her phone. And Darien, he always made sure he was in contact with at least one of his guards. All this sneaking around and secrets were rubbing her the wrong way. She tired again to call her mentally, harder this time, but no use.

"Please Serena, I just want to know if you're okay." She whispered.

"Well, when they come back, we'll go. I assume you've been practicing." Luna looked expectantly at each of them. Raye rolled her eyes.

"Yes Luna. And things have been pretty quiet around here, so I'm just _itching_ to toast a monster. Any monster." She said, cracking her knuckles to make her point.

"And working well with the guards?" Artemis asked serenely, twitching his tail slowly.

"Yep. We're good in that department." Lita said, sending Nephrite a meaningful look.

_Very good_. Raye said in a purr, making the others crack secret smiles.

_Quit bragging_. Mina muttered. They others smiled more widely and Ami patted her shoulder.

_Sorry Mina. But your time will come. _

_Yeah, you don't have to rush things_. Lita popped in.

_It will happen when it's meant to happen_. Raye soothed her.

_Yeah, I guess. I'm just wondering who will make the first move. I'm kinda nervous, to tell you the truth. Thank you everyone_. She smiled softly.

XOXO

"Okay, here we are." Serena said and took a deep breath and looked at the dark opening. They drove to a little wooded area about ten miles from the beach house. Endymion had led them to an overgrown cave on the side of a shallow mountain. Leaves crunched under their shoes as they approached it.

"Serenity's here. Inside there. Do you think they know we're here?" Endymion asked, stepping into the damp cave. Goosebumps emerged on her arms, and she felt cold sweat dot her head. But she shook that feeling away and took a calming breath, gearing up for their mission. Her heart pulled her, because she knew Serenity was there, waiting for them.

"They'll know soon enough." She wiped her sweaty hands on her pants and joined him inside the cave. "Ready?" She asked him hesitantly. He looked down at her with a stony face, and then proceeded inside. I guess that was a yes…

XOXO

The evil Kunzite looked at the picture of Zoicite and fought down the wave of hatred and bitterness. He threw the frame across the room and it shattered. He missed her, but not as much as he missed Mina. He scowled and made a glass of brandy appear. In all the battles, he never once really missed her because, he had Zoicite. But now, with the good half of him back, living with her, _touching_ what belongs to _him_, he felt jealousy and possessiveness take hold.

His grip on the glass tightened as he looked at the room he was in. Cold, evil, dark, just the way he wanted. He needed female company. And not one of Beryl's minions. He needed someone untouched, someone he loved, and hated at the same time. He could take her from the good Kunzite. She was still waiting for that moment, when he would make his move. Bitter, insane laughter filled the room and he down the rest of his drink. Yes, Mina would do for tonight. And then after tonight…

Who knew? She could very well take the place of Zoicite…

XOXOXOXOXO

AN: An UPDATE! Sorry for the long, deprived months, but I promise, I'll finish this story, even if it takes me a while. As for my others, well scratches head I'm not to sure about those. Someday…someday…

Mina and Kunzite's lemon scene will be next.

Kisses everyone muh and REVIEW!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Princess Serenity looked out of her magically sealed glass cage. She felt so tired. Beryl had come into her room night after night, trying to take the crystal she embedded inside of her see through body. And it took all she had to resist her power. It was tempting to give in to her powers of rest and rejuvenation. God knows she needs it, but her strong will prevented her from doing so. If she let her guard down for just a second, she could come to regret it. Tears burned her eyes as she looked up, into the starry sky that was barely visible through crack of her prison. She sighed out loud.

"Endymion. Where are you my love?" She whimpered. In her whole detainment, she never once allowed her self to cry. But she was so tired. So bloody tired, her tears were sweet release for her loneliness. She was fading. They needed to hurry, she didn't want to fade away…

XOXO

Serena and Endymion tracked through the damp, dark cave. She tried not to freak out when her face would get caught in spider webs, or hear scurrying of little feet. She shuddered at the thought and stayed very close to Endymion, finding comfort in his strength and determination. But she wished Darien were here instead. She missed him. As they continued on their way, she slipped over wet rocks, tripped over unknown vines and scratched her arms with the sharp walls of the cave. But she bit back her whimpers of pain and discomfort. Endymion seemed to mindlessly avoid the dangers of the cave, and she tried to follow his footsteps, but always seemed to fail. Her sneakers splashed in cold puddles of water, which infuriated her to no end.

"Why is there water in the cave?" She grumbled to herself and gritted her teeth when a sharp rock made a shallow cut in her cheek, when she lost balance of her self and fell forward.

"It's under a lake, so the water dribbles down." Endymion muttered, pushing himself through a narrow passage. The light from the entrance was gradually fading, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was scared of the dark. Something stirred over head and she looked up and screamed, clinging violently onto Endymion's arm.

"Bats!" Uhh, my god, what made her think she could do this mission! She closed her eyes tightly, fighting the miserable tears that were coming to her eyes. She couldn't be weak now. She can't act like this! Not when her life as well as the world was in danger. She hated her weakness.

Endymion stilled. In the dark cave, he could see the outline of her body. Her little frame shivered with untold fear. And the tension in her was wound so tight, he could almost feel it emitting from her. His heart softened.

She needs you Darien. He thought and let his mind float to the back of his brain and let Darien take over.

Darien pushed forward rapidly, wanting to comfort her. He slid his arms around her trembling shoulders and pulled her close to him, resting his lips on the top of her head. He gave her a little kiss of assurance.

She relaxed in his arms, knowing who was comforting her. And soon, the cave wasn't so daunting. He always made her fears crumble away. Truth was, she was falling steadily for him. It should be so absurd to feel that way. At the beginning of the month, she would never dream of thinking about him that way. But a lot happened. It seemed like it was ages ago to her.

She pulled away and tilted her head to see his outline in the darkness. He leaned down and brushed a teasingly light kiss across her mouth.

"Thank you Darien." She murmured and tiptoed to give him a brief, harder kiss.

"Are you okay?" He chucked softly.

"Now I am." They shared a quick hug and then they were off again.

_:Now tell me you don't love her:_: Endymion challenged him. Darien sighed in his mind.

Alright you little nuisance. You're right, I do love her. Happy? He shot back.

_:Yes. To admit such a feeling shows how much of a man you are. I'm proud to be you in the future.: _He felt Endymion smile for the first time. It was a familiar feeling, one he forgot until now. With new determination to feel that smile again, he and Serena pressed forward.

The cave grew smaller and darker the further they entered. Sometimes they had to squeeze one by one, over rocky paths. There was a break in the ceiling of the cave where a small waterfall trickled down and the spray made that part of the cave, damp and a bit humid. Moonlight cascaded down through the small opening and their shoes splashed in the shallow, crystal blue water.

"We should have brought a flashlight." Serena grumbled and grabbed his helping hand to hike up a small hill in the cave. Her breath caught in her throat and she shivered. It was suddenly deathly cold. Her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably. Painfully, the damp pair pushed forward, beyond the chill. She tightened her hold on his hand.

"Darien." She whispered.

"I know. I feel it too." He told her and they embraced, trying to find warmth in one another.

"She's close. _They_ are close." She murmured, looking at the arch they were in front of. It was just beyond this barrier, the final step until they were completely in Beryl's world. She shivered again, her stomach tightening in to a knot.

"Ready?" Darien asked her. She closed her eyes and let his dark, calm voice give her strength.

"Ready."

XOXO

Mina opened her tired eyes as she once again gave up trying to call for Serena. She fell back on the couch with a sad sigh and gazed absently up at the ceiling. She couldn't help but feel a little angry at her, I mean, she just went off without telling none of them her intentions! She and Darien. But that anger quickly faded into worry. She had barely got her strength back, what if something bad happened to her? Would Darien bring her back? Of course her would, she told herself harshly. Darien would never allow anything to happen to her.

The others were in the kitchen trying to determine what they would. She knew she should be in there, but she couldn't bring herself to think about anything but Serena. She lifted herself out of the couch and wandered outside. Suddenly, the house seemed too stuffy for her liking. The wind was blowing strongly when she sat in the chair swing in the front. She closed her eyes and focused on the waved lapping over the sand, and the sounds of the crickets chirping. She must have dozed off when something jerked her out of her reverence. It was a cold presence she knew all to well. She moved quickly from the chair swing to get inside, but something wrapped around her arms and she fell like a log on her side. She whipped her head back, making her hair fall from her eyes and saw him hovering above her.

"Kunzite." She whispered with fear, making her voice tremble. A cold smile played on his face as his eyes roamed deliberately over her. The gaze made her feel dirty, and she gulped. She knew that look, and his attentions were not what she needed right now.

_Guys, help!_ She cried out mentally to them. Kunzite must have known what she did, because his eyes narrowed and he roughly jerked her to her feet. She faintly heard footsteps coming from the house.

"Mina!" Lita exclaimed and she and the others poured out of the doorway. The evil Kunzite lifted them higher and higher. She struggled against the sliver smoke that held her in place, calling on her power to help but something blocked her call.

"Come and get her if you can." His emotionless voice taunted the party below them. Her eyes riveted to the Good Kunzite. His face was impassive, but she saw a muscle work in his jaw. Her breath caught in her throat, as the smoky bonds tightened around her. Emitting an unwilling moan of pain, she saw darkness swim in her vision.

XOXO

Serena stopped dead in her tracks. She clutched her chest, suddenly finding it hard to breath. Something wasn't right.

"Serena?" Darien's concerned voice prodded her. Serena struggled for breath and she staggered against the wall of the cave.

"The scouts. Something is happing to them." She managed to breathe out in scat syllables. The mind block she placed up began to tremble. If she let it down, to see what was going on, they would know where she was, what they were going to do. She hesitated. God, she shouldn't. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to build up enough strength to walk away.

"Serena." Darien weakly warned her, but he too was worried about the scouts.

_Serena…help me. Serena…_

Tears burned her eyes and she dropped the block. Many, many images flooded her mind.

_SERENA! Where are you?_

_Mina! Serena, he's got Mina!_

_Who?_ She thought worriedly at Raye and Ami's thoughts. No sooner did she ask, when she felt them transform.

XOXO

_Fight it Mina. Don't let him get you. Please…I need you._ Mina's shook her head, trying to clear the approaching darkness, struggling to see clearly.

_Serena?_

_You can do it._

Relief flooded her from head to toe when she heard her again. She was okay. But soon, se felt her face heat up and she managed to weaken the smoky bonds.

_Where the hell are you? You just left without saying anything!_

The evil Kunzite, tried to tighten the bonds again, but his prey was a lot stronger that he originally thought. Even as she struggled in the bonds, he felt her anger directed at someone else but him. Miffed about being put second, he threw her in the air to get her diverted attention. But she seemed to pay him no heed.

His attention wavered and Lita took the chance to strike. She concentrated her energy to her powers, when a warm hand was on her shoulder. She ran her eyes to the side and saw Nephrite gazing lovingly at her. Her heart sped up and he smiled, one of his devastating smiles.

"We'll do this together." He told her. She paused, but they turned back to the preoccupied evil Kunzite.

"Jupiter, thunder dragon!" The green magic burst forth and the dragon roared before encircling Kunzite. He yelped in surprise and his hold on Mina broke. Power still sizzled inside her and she aimed another attack, but he shimmed away before it made contact.

Mina glared at his retreat and locked Serena into thought. _Do you know how worried we were? Where are you?_ She demanded.

_Jeeze, you sound like Raye._ Serena muttered.

_Serena!_ Lita exploded into their conversation. She felt Serena gulp. _How dare you make us worry!_

_Yeah, with all that's going on, you think you would be a little smarter that to go off by yourself!_ Raye bolted in. Ami was about to make a comment, when Raye cut her off and wrote a message in the sand for her to read. **_Track her_**. So she took her little computer out and, magically, a little blue laser light connected with Raye's temple. The readings were strange, because she never did a mental track before, but the more symbols and graphs she watched play on the screen, the more she could decipher it.

XOXO

Darien knew she was having one of her little mental fights with the scouts, and for a little while, he watched her adorable expressions change. An unknown smile played on his lips. I'm going to marry her someday…he thought absently.

_:And have lots of children:_ Endymion asked him. Startled out of his little fantasy, Darien blushed and ignored him. She needed to hurry before…

Cursing, he tapped her forehead lightly and she frowned at him.

"Block them." He told her harshly, and she did so quickly.

"Why?" She asked him.

"Ami and her damn little computer can do anything." He said, and she gasped.

"Oh my god, I never thought about that! God, we need to hurry." She pulled him to the cave and they hurried along.

XOXO

"Damn." Ami muttered and reread what she gathered so far. No one bothered her as she and Zoicite left the party to study the information together. Raye turned to Lita and gave her a smile.

"Good one Lita." She told her proudly. Lita gave her a cheeky smile in return.

Mina still felt the cold smoky bonds on her arms and she rubbed them to try to get the feeling out.

"Are you okay?" Kunzite demanded in an angry voice. Startled by his tone, Mina pouted and folded her arms.

"I'm fine." She muttered, feeling a little guilty and not knowing why she should. But still, she was almost killed! Couldn't he show a little compassion? She moved past him and back into the house.

Kunzite's heart was still pounding painfully in his chest. He had never been so terrified and angry before. God, his hands were still balled into fists to control the trembling in his hands. Mina stiffly went by him and he took an inconspicuous deep breath to calm himself. He felt eyes on him and looked to see Raye glaring at him.

"What?" He snapped. Raye looked even more murderous and put a hand to her hip.

"'What' he asks me." She said in a sweet voice looking a Jadeite. Jadeite wisely took a step away from her and gave Kunzite a worried look. Mina had slammed the door closed to the bathroom. He winced inward. Raye muttered something under her breath to Jadeite and they kissed before she too left, but not before she gave him another glare.

"Damn Kunz, you're so shallow sometimes." Jadeite commented in an offhand tone and sat in the deck swing. Kunzite frowned and rubbed his chin.

"What's that suppose to mean?" He asked roughly. Jadeite gave him a hopeless look.

"Exactly what you heard. She just went though an ordeal, and instead of

comforting her like you should have, you jumped down her throat." He stated, shaking his curly hair out of his face.

"And you're an expert of woman?" Kunzite sneered at his carefree friend. He didn't need to rub it in! How the hell was he supposed to act? She meant everything to him and she could have been taken! That thought alone sent shivers down his spine. He and Mina's romance was relatively short lived before she was killed and he was cloned. He didn't know how to comfort a teary-eyed woman. And here, Jadeite was giving him the second degree on his callousness.

"I know enough." Jadeite told him smoothly, gently swinging back and forth, all the while not taking his eyes off of the fuming, and mournful Kunzite. Kunzite said nothing and stared blankly at the sky.

"Then what should I do?" He forced himself to ask his friend. Jadeite flashed him a wolfish smile and stopped swinging.

"How long are you planning to wait before coupling?" He asked boldly. Kunzite choked on that question, feeling his face heat up.

"That's none of you business." He snapped at him pointing a warning finger at Jadeite's chest. Jadeite fluttered a dismissive hand.

"If you can't make up for your brutish attitude with words my friend, I suggest you do it another way. Please, look between my words. You're not that dense are you?" Jadeite asked him and left Kunzite to his thoughts. He waited a while before going back into the beach house. As he walked through, he took mental notes of where everyone was. Ami and Zoicite were in the office, with the door slightly ajar murmuring quietly about the info they took. Lita and Nephrite were in the living room talking about her attack and how well they worked together all the while, holding hands all lovey-dovey like. Jadeite and Raye had made their way back out side to the deck on the other side of the house. And Mina was still in the bathroom that connected two rooms together.

Kunzite sighed and put a hand to the door, not really knowing what his next move was. Soon, he could hear the water running and his pulse quickened as carnal thoughts ran rampant in his head. She was just beyond this piece of wood, wet and sad. His hand slid down the door and around the cold knob. He prayed the door was locked, prayed because he knew as soon as it opened, he would be on her in an instant. He would ravish her with all his pent up hunger and rekindle all that was lost to him. This is what he wanted, so why the hesitation? Why doesn't he open the blasted door?

He slowly twisted the knob and made his way into the steaming room. He could see the silhouette of her curvaceous body in the amber shower curtain. Her head was back as the water soaked her hair, her breasts were jutted out and her back arched. And he just stood there, and watched her bathe, imaging the soap bubbled run down her soft skin, little streams of water falling from her lashes and mouth. He didn't really know how long she was in there, but when the water turned off and she slid the curtain open, she stood before him, an untold apology passed from him to her and she smiled, a slow, hesitant smile and that last shred of control he had on his raging desire broke and he drew her in his arms and she arched back as he kissed her. Soon, his clothes were wet, and stuck to his skin, and his hand dove into her wet hair as he pressed her lips more firmly on his. He lifted her to sit on the sink, as he kissed down her chin, her milky white throat, her collarbone, and then her shoulder. Her breaths were coming in soft, needy pants as he soon took a delicately pink nipple into his mouth and lapped her. The little buds tightened under his persistent mouth.

Mina didn't know how this happened, one moment she was in the shower, letting off some steam, the next she was lifted onto the cold porcelain sink, being kissed like crazy. Goosebumps ran down her arms and legs as his mouth roamed over her body. She was finding it hard to breath. Her hands were around his shoulders as he pressed her to him. Unbridle passion erupted in her and her breaths became more ragged with intense need. Wanting something she had almost forgotten existed. God, only he could make her feel this way. Sexy and shy at the same time, knowing that for once in her life, she was the most beloved person in his world. His rough hands traveled down her sensitive ribs, around her hips, angling her to him. She felt his need pressed against her stomach. Eager to help him express his passions, her frenzied hands fumbled with the buckle of his belt and then hastily pulling the small silver button free from his form fitting faded blue pants. He bucked against her hands which were only moments from his flesh. The pants dropped in a heap to the floor and together, the lifted his white tee shirt over his head. Her head dipped down and she pressed a heated kiss to his bare, well muscled chest. He shuddered against her hot mouth, suddenly stilling.

Sweet heaven, he didn't know how much longer he could play like this. He wanted to lavish her body, make her explode with desire before entering her and taking her innocence, but that plan was suddenly crashing to the ground. As leader of the royal guard, he always planned his attacks and actions before pursuing, but when it came to Mina, he might as well march into battle blinded and deaf. She always had a way of throwing him off. But damn it if he cared. She smelled like soap and water, she was practically writhing with need. Muttering a dark oath, he lifted one of her silky smooth legs and pushing himself roughly inside of her.

Mina didn't scream or cry out in pain like she thought she would. Although it did hurt, she could really dwell on the ache. It all happened so fast, she was dizzy with happiness and love. Kunzite wasn't really one for much foreplay. And she didn't mind, hell, more time for the real fun stuff she always thought. He pressed one hand on the mirror behind them to steady himself and she clung to him as he began to move his hips. She sighed buried her face the crook of his arm and moved with him, initiating a steady pace. Her moans were muffled as she sucked on that little spot right above the collar bone, sensitive nerves. His hands gripped her moving hips hard as he moved faster and faster. A familiar sensation began building, reaching a point where there was something more to complete it, but he had yet to offer it. It was pure, blissful torture that he sensed in her and he reached where their bodies linked and stroked that fire that wanted to explode at any moment. She gave a surprised little cry and as he moved faster and faster, the sensation reached it peak and she screamed out his name.

Kunzite shuddered as he spilled himself into her, a satisfied smile on his lips and his ears ringing with his name. God how he loved this woman…

XOXO

Serena and Darien entered a small chamber that was empty. The place was like a labyrinth and so far nothing. But she felt Serenity close by and the more rooms they entered, the more Serenity's presence intensified. They heard footsteps scratching against the loose gravel of the cave and she and Darien took cover in the nearby shadows. Two yomens passed them, talking in low mummers. Darien pressed her against the wall of the cave and moved in front of her to check around the corner. He hovered there before motioning her to follow. The dark cave curved into another annex of Beryl's lair, but this room swirled with darkness and unnatural cold drafts. Serena squinted her eyes and saw, in the far corner of the large room, was several doors. One of then was locked with several serious looking bolts. She and Darien looked at one another.

"You know this could be a trap." He said solemnly. Serena nodded her head once and then lowered her eyes. The over omnipotent degree of danger stood between she at the door she knew Serenity was behind. Her heart beat hard in her chest, and even as she breathed, the shudder of fear shook her. Even Darien's presence couldn't calm her. But she had to do this, Serenity was so close, and the end of this nightmare was so close. Serena hardened her heart and then walked from the shadows of the cave and right to the door. It swooshed open without her even touching it and she and Darien proceeded into the room. As soon as the entered, they spotted her immediately. She was in some sort of glass cage.

"Serenity!" Serena called out, and ran to the cage. Serenity's head jerked up and identical eyes clashed. Relief washed through her and she pressed her hands against the cold surface. "Endymion." She said and turned to Darien, quietly standing by her side. "Can you break the glass?" She asked him. At once, Darien's face changed, his eyes hardened and his poster stiffened with anger. He lifted his had and a wave of dark blue magic slammed against the glass, shattering it without mercy. Serenity floated out and Serena lifted her head and waited. Serenity's entrance was soft and light, and very reassuring.

_You know this was too easy._ Serenity told Serena and she agreed. It was way too easy. What did Beryl have in store for them? Then, a current of dry coldness swept through the room and soon, she was jerked back into a hard, embrace. She twisted her head and saw the familiar stony profile of Kunzite.

"Serenity!" Endymion cried out, helplessly looking up at her. Serena twisted and turned, anything to get away from him, but all her efforts were fruitless.

"The Princess will be joining me for the moment Prince. Don't worry," he said and nuzzled her neck. Serena jerked away from him in repulsion and wiggled even harder. "She's in capable hands" And then, they fazed out.

XOXO

"Damn him!" Endymion roared in anger and slammed his fist into the wall, leaving a sizable hole in the cave. All the anger soon faded to anguish, and Darien fought hard to get in control of his body.

_Stop it_. He snapped at Endymion. He felt his other self sizzled with indignation. We _don't have time for feeling sorry for ourselves do we? Let's get the others now_. He stomped from the room and transformed into Tuxedo mask, knowing that their appearance was known. Pitiful yomens were waiting for him when he exited the room and he dealt with them accordingly and proceeded back through the cave. His black cape swished in the cold drafts as he jumped and leaped his way back to the beach house.

"Darien! Where were you?" As soon as he entered the door, Lita and Nephrite ran into him.

"Where's Serena?" Lita asked. Only to be answered with a sad sigh.

"Kunzite has her." He said solemnly. But he knew that he shouldn't really worry for her safety. He suspected for a long time, since they entered the cave that something like this was going to happen. Even though Beryl took Serenity from Serena, that dreadful day, he knew she didn't think it out very well. Serena was in control of her powers before finding out she was the reincarnated princess. So, when she halved them, the crystal lost it power, because without the two of them, working together, there could be no way the crystal would work. She must have figured that out when she was trying to take the crystal from Serenity's entity.

"Then why did you just let her go?" Nephrite demanded. Darien looked pensively at him for reading his thoughts, but said nothing. At least Nephrite could explain it to the others and he could get on to more pressing matters.

"She won't kill her." Darien told him, the very thought, pricking his heart in a painful way. "Serena has a strong will. I think she knew what she was doing when she went into that room."

"But she could hurt her." Lita said in a distressed whisper, clutching Nephrite's dark blue tee-shirt with a tight fist. Yes, there would be consequences for their actions. But Serena knew all of this, and he trusted her to take care of herself.

"Serena is stronger than you give her credit for." He told her. Even though fear for her friend still lurked in her eyes, Lita nodded her agreement. "Where are the others?"

"I'll get them." Lita said hurriedly and left he and Nephrite alone in the small doorway. They all ended up in the living room. As soon as she scouts saw him without Serena, they bombarded him with questions and heated glares for not including them on his and Serena's plans.

"So what do we do now?" Raye snapped at him, standing right in front of him with a furious hand on her hip. Damn, she can sure hold a grudge.

"Well, we can't go back into the entrance we found. It's probably sealed up by now."

"This is where we come in." Luna said, and leapt on a corner table. "Artemis and I have found another entrance in the city. I don't believe they are aware of this yet. It's our best chance."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Mina exclaimed and pulled out her changing wand and all at once there was various flashed of color as the girls changed.

XOXO

Serena was tossed unceremoniously on the floor. She landed painfully on her stomach and the air whooshed out of her.

"Leave." At that cold voice, Serena jerked her head up to see Beryl looking down at her. Serena scrambled to her feet. Kunzite bowed low, before fazing away. Serena glared at the spot, and then turned her attention back to Beryl. She lifted her hand and Serena was frozen to the spot in a pink ball.

"I knew you would come today, Princess. It's lonely isn't it? Your soul, halved. Many people go a lifetime with out half their soul, always looking, and never finding it." She said quietly with a smirky tone. Serena seethed at the ugly redhead and remained quiet.

"But you would know that." She sighed and then turned and walked to her black throne, with Serena in her pink prison, following after her. She settled pertly on the chair and stared at her for a long time, before speaking. "Such a shame, you and Endymion could be the most powerful beings in the whole world, and yet, you turn from it. All that power, and yet, you don't take advantage of it. The crystal should have been mine. I wouldn't have squandered the power like you fools have done. It's a mockery, a damn mockery that you, a skinny little brat should hold such a great thing!" She practically spat in her face. Beryl was looking at her with pure loathing and disgust. She held up her hand and curled her fingers into a fist, and in response, the pink ball that Serena was in was squeezed. She gritted her teeth in pain, not wanting to give Beryl the satisfaction of hearing her scream. The pressure was so intense, her knees actually buckled in her frozen state and she fell. Beryl zapped the power away quickly, leaving Serena breathing hard and clutching her head, where a huge headache pounded fiercely behind her eyes. Beryl settled back into her throne and crossed her legs.

"Do you ever wonder how your mother found out about your affair with Endymion?" She asked. Serena sharply looked up, despite her pain, curiosity piped her interest.

"Let me guess? You?" Serena sneered at her with a cold glare.

"Of course. But you want to know how?" She asked. Serena swallowed hard, although feeling no moisture in her mouth. Not really, but she wanted to give the scouts time to implement a plan. "I knew from the first moment you and Endymion joined together, I felt that power all the way to my home planet. Such a powerful wave of magic." She sighed wistfully. "Your foolish mother never put the two together." Her lips thinned. "So I sent a message to her, telling her all about you and Endymion's pitiful affair. You should have seen her that day when we talked face to face. I could tell she was worried. She never had to face the prospect of war, if she did what I told her to do." She snickered.

"And what did you tell her to do?" Serena asked, despite not really caring. Beryl seemed to think revealing all these things to her made her look like she was a masterful planner or something. Didn't she realize that she knew all of these things? She knew none of her friends would ever betray her, and her mother knew that no deal she made with Beryl would stick. Oh Beryl was powerful, Serena could feel the immense dark magic sizzling all around her, and she could kill her at any moment, but she was blabbering. Please, scouts, Endymion, guards…hurry.

XOXO

"Burrr, it's cold in here." Venus shivered and rubbed her chilly arms, trying to find warmth.

"It's like a warp hole…" Mercury said in an amazed voice, typing on her small computer and scanning every inch of the tunnel.

"So, where does it end?" Jupiter asked her, looking over Mercury's shoulder frowning at the rapid data. It made her head spin. How could she read so fast? There was a beep beep and some more typing and Mercury finally shrugged.

"I'm not sure. But, I think the more the temperature drops, the closer we are." She flipped the computer closed quivered from the coldness as well. Zoicite pulled her close to him, trying to warm her with his body heat. She snuggled close to him, grateful for his presence.

"Jadeite! Quit hanging on me!" Mars snapped at him, and pushed him away from her.

"I thought you were cold." He said in a hurt voice. Mars bit her tongue before she lashed out at him. She didn't need him to protect her all the time. It was a little cold, but with him hanging on her, how the hell was she supposed to walk without tripping over him?

_Sucker_. Zoicite taunted him. Jadeite was about to say something nasty as a come back, but Mars, pulled his head down and gave him a fiery kiss that took his breath away. Abruptly, she pulled away from him, her lips wet and swollen and she gave him a sexy little smile.

"I'm not cold anymore." She told him and then she joined Venus and Kunzite in the front of the group. Jadeite was still befuddled by her unexpected kiss, but he managed to get his feet moving and felt a smug smile slip onto his lips.

_Sucker_. He shot back at Zoicite.

"Here, we're almost there!" Luna exclaimed and she and Artemis ran ahead of them. Suddenly, a powerful blast of cold air had the kitties tossed back. They landed with a heavy thud at the feet of Venus and Kunzite. They all stopped. Venus and Mars knelt down and gathered Luna and Artemis in their arms.

"Didn't you ever here the phrase. 'curiosity'", The evil Kunzite appeared before them and punctuated his remark with a whip of his sword to the ground. "'killed the cat?'" He asked and the ground shook and the white crescent magic, cut through the scouts uniforms. The guards ran to their aid, taking some of the attack. Endymion stayed behind them all, not sure when they would need him. It was the guards' first fight since their awakening, so he wanted them to face it in order to summon their powers, so long since gone. Nephrite touched his powers, that night he helped Lita when Mina was kidnapped.

How much more can they take? They're like mortals! Darien yelled at him. Endymion snorted at that remark.

_:They've taken more that this.:_ Endymion said in a dismissive tone. The evil Kunzite was a force to be reckoned with. With just a mere flicker of his sword, he managed to blast the whole party back. Sharp rocks flicked up and scratched Endymion's exposed flesh.

"What Prince? Unwilling to help out your friends?" Kunzite snickered at him. The scouts and guards were all moaning and writhing on the floor from the blast. He dared not look at them, because if he did, then he would help them. But they had to do it themselves! Kunzite raised his sword and Endymion steeled himself for the pain. It was like slow motion. Kunzite brought his sword down in one deadly blow.

"Prince!" His guards all shouted his name. It sounded like a tommy gun shot, all echoing in the tunnel and when he was sure him emanate demise would come, a shield erected over him and the evil Kunzite's attack backfired and he stumbled in the air with incredulous eyes. Endymion glared at him. He looked at his guards, glowing dark blue, their clothes changing into their old uniforms, and swords emerging in their hands. The scouts all huddled together and watched the transformation in fascination.

"What is this?" The evil Kunzite whispered at them all, looking from one group to another, like they would give him an answer.

"Kunzite." Endymion commanded his protector. Kunzite straightened and waited for the command. "Kill him." Kunzite flicked his wrist and his sword began to glow dark blue. He charged with a warrior's cry and impaled his other half. The evil Kunzite fell to the floor, blood burbling out of his mouth. Kunzite pressed deeper, and the evil Kunzite's eyes watered with pain, and something Kunzite thought he would never see.

Relief.

"Took you long enough." The evil Kunzite wheezed out and his hands covered Kunzite's hands on the hilt of the sword. Kunzite made himself void of emotions, because at a time like this, emotions never did anyone any good. The evil Kunzite's eyes began to glaze, and he looked beyond Kunzite to Venus, who sunk to her knees beside him. The evil Kunzite stared at the pair, looking at him as he faded away. It was a worthy death, all these centuries, living alone, away from that light that once resided in him. The light Venus showed him when he fell in love. He was glad he was dying, he didn't know how much longer he could live like this, and now, he was free. Free from the cold, the bitter feelings that could never be eased. Free to feel that light again…free to finally hold her, and kiss her…

He faded from her eyes and she felt Kunzite's arms around her shoulders, pulling her to him. It was the first time she hugged him that she actually knew he was all there. He felt different, he felt…whole. Finally, she tilted her head back and gone was his void expression. His sword clambered beside them and he took her into his arms and kissed her lips, ever so slightly. She gave a whisper of a sigh and sank into his embrace and yielded her lips as he pressed his mouth more firmly onto hers, ravishing her breathless.

Someone, polity cleared their throat and she reluctantly ended their kiss and they got to their feet, hand in hand.

"Let's get going." Endymion said quietly and led the group until they saw a faint glow of light at the end of the tunnel. Jupiter let out a squeal of shock when a blast of cold air hit her and she dashed behind Nephrite, trying to find shelter from the snow. Her teeth chattered and she grabbed his coat and tucked the loose tails around her.

"Uh, Lita, darling…I can't move." Nephrite said in dry humor and made a feeble attempt to show her. Lita blushed and reluctantly let him go, missing the body heat instantly.

"Sorry." She said and he pulled her into a warm embrace, walking behind her as they made their way across the tundra. In the distance, an ugly, black and purple mountain loomed in the distance and the part stopped to stare. Serena was in there somewhere. They began picking up their pace, their boots crunching in the snow.

"Guys wait." Mercury stopped them, her eyes dark with concern as she stared at her screen. "Enemies are approaching us fast. They should be in view in ten seconds…nine…eight…seven…six…"

The party was on their guard as Mercury counted down. The guards flicked their wrist and their swords glowed dark blue. "Three…two…one." She said and four yomens shot across the tundra at incredible speed.

"Endymion go! We've got this!" Nephrite yelled at him as he and Lita joined forces. Endymion hesitated briefly and then he left them, leaping and bounding to the mountain. There was little resistance as he stormed the dark, corrupted structure.

XOXO

"Ah, here comes your knight in shining armor now." Beryl said and Serena turned and saw two yomens being blasted back as he hacked his way in. Her boredom of hearing Beryl brag about her plans turned to elation when she saw him.

"Endy!" Serenity took over quickly and Endymion walked steadily to her pink prison.

_We have to do this together my love. Are you ready?_ He asked her. Serenity grasped the crystal around her neck and nodded. In a flash, Endymion raised his sword and at the same times as his blow she used the crystal and the prison shattered and she was free. Beryl let out a squeak as she grasped her bleeding hand where Endymion's sword had cut the pink prison. She growled with outrage and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Serenity ran to Endymion's waiting arms and planted small kissed all over his place, murmuring inaudible 'I love yous' to him.

"You know she's not gone." He told her solemnly, holding her at arms length. Serenity nodded and then together they joined the party, lounging together in a huddle to keep warm.

"Finished already?" Endymion asked them. When the scouts saw Serena, they cried out with joy and leapt to embrace her. Serena, now back into control of her body, felt tears running down her cheeks. She hugged each one of them. When all the happy greeting were finished, Darien (now in control of his body) grew serious.

"She's not dead yet. We need to regroup and come up with a strategy to kill her once and for all." The party nodded in agreement. "Any ideas Serena?" He asked her. Serena backed away from them, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"Just one." She said softly, no meeting their eyes. She transformed and took the crystal from her necklace and bonded it with the moon scepter Luna had given her a long time ago. She held it out and invoked the magic, creating a bubble around the scouts and guards, along with Darien.

"Serena! What are you doing?" Darien demanded. She forced herself to look at them, tears prickling her eyes.

"I have to do this myself. You'll be safe. I promise." She said with steely determination.

"Serena! Don't do this! Please!" Mina pleaded, putting a hand to the surface of the bubble. But she ignored them and ran away. Far away, where she knew the final battle loomed in front of her. She only made it halfway back to the Beryl's palace when another pink bubble enveloped her. It wasn't as strong as the last one, but the snow formed into a tidal wave of snow, and smashed ruthlessly into her. It tossed her hurtfully in the bubble.

_:Alright Serena, it is time for us to become one:_. Serenity whispered to her and Serena's wand vibrated with power. She felt the fusion take place, like she was under water and she was swimming with all her might to surface to the top. And when she finally swam to the top, she was on a platform facing Beryl for the last time.

"Pitiful Princess Serenity." She spat and aimed an attack. Serena fended it off easily enough, but more kept coming until Beryl tapped into all her resources.

_I need your now scouts. Help me. Forgive me…_

XOXO

"Shut up! Shut up, she's not dead!" Darien hollered at Ami who made the pronouncement with a shaky voice and tears in her eyes. The whole world was spinning out of his reach and he began to hyperventilate. She's not dead! She's not. A ragged hoarse cry escaped him and he began to pound at the shield. It gradually weakened and he leapt out of its confines and ran as fast as he could to where the clash of power had shimmed away. He waited, and waited for her to walk over the snowy hill, but she hadn't come. Ami and her dammed little compute found no trace of her life signs.

"Prince!" He faintly heard his guards call out to him, but he had to find her. He had to prove to Ami that she was still alive! Serena's power was still fused in the air, she had to be here! He gulped for air as he scanned over the snow, somewhere. She was somewhere he knew it, and then, there, a few feet in front of him he saw a see-through figure standing, and beckoning him come. He didn't know who it was, but he didn't care. She was leading him to Serena. And, she was there! Lying serenely in the snow with her hands folded together on her chest. A chest that was rising and falling with breath. He dropped to his knees and shakily, he cradled her to him. She moaned and her lashes fluttered open.

"Darien." She breathed and he let out a little laugh of relief.

"You're alive! I told her! I told her you were!"

"Serena! Darien!" The party had caught up to them and when they saw Serena, alive and healthy they all fell down beside her in shock and relief.

"I thought you were dead! I'm so sorry!" Ami said through tears. Serena laughed and hugged them, not giving them an answer.

AN: Whew! This was a hard chapter to finish, but I finally did. Only one more chapter to go! I'm so grateful for you patience while I was trying to get this one out! You don't know what it means to me to still have readers after all the time I took! Anyway, thanks for reading and remember REVIEW! Luv you all lots and lots KISSES::muh:


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

A week after the final showdown the girls arranged for Serena to meet them in a hotel room. She awoke that day, showered and dressed and found an envelope with a card key in it and a room number. Curious she had called them, but no one answered. She was all alone in the beach house, choosing to stay for the rest of the summer there while Darien and the guards headed back to the city. He was very hurried to get the guys new names and get them enrolled in school. She snorted, Darien was such a nerd. But she missed him so much. The girls knew why she was so depressed. It was strange the way things worked out in the end. She loved the jerk to no end, and she never knew she could feel so much emptiness. He had only been gone for three days and to her it felt like an eternity.

As evening rolled around, her cell rang and Mina was on the other end.

"Hey chick, a limo will be around to pick you up." She said cheerfully. Serena frowned and walked to the window. No sooner did she look out when the dim lights of a car shone through them.

"What's going on?" She asked them and grabbed her purse.

"Make sure you lock the doors when you leave. We'll see you soon." And then she hung up. So Serena locked up the house and the driver, waited patiently until she came out. He smiled warmly and opened the door for her. She slid into the buttery soft leather seat and the smell of roses assaulted her. Before her were seventeen bouquets of flowers, in a white ice chest.

They arrived at the hotel in twenty minutes and she cautiously walked into the lavishly decorated foyer and immediately walked to the elevator, punching in a number. Soft music filled the small moving bounce. She hated elevator music. Tapping her foot impatiently, she waited for the elevator to reach the floor. When it finally did, she escaped as fast as she could. The hallway was long and the plush champagne colored carpet muffled the tip tapping of her heels. At the end of the hallway, she saw the room she was suppose to go to and slipped the card key in. The light flashed and she opened the door, slowly. She wouldn't put it past them to ambush her right away. But the room was dark. The white curtains were drawn and silence greeted her.

"Hello?" She called out, and flipped on the light.

"SURPRISE!" Her friends popped out from behind the furniture and Serena stood, shocked. Letting out a little laugh, she shut the door behind her.

"Uhh…thanks?" She said and placed her purse on a nearby table. "But my birthday is in two weeks." She said. Mina rolled her eyes and pulled her further into the room.

"We know meatball head." Raye said flippantly. "But we're going back to the city in three days and we have to make the most of it now, while we still can."

Lita popped open a bottle and Serena looked at the bubbling liquid in her hand skeptically.

"Sparking cider." She said defensively and Ami giggled and grabbed five wine glasses. Lita filled their cups liberally and Raye raised her glass.

"To Serena. The most kick ass Moon Princess." She said and the others cheered and with a blush, Serena tapped her glass to theirs as well.

XOXO

"I wonder what the girls are doing right now." Zoicite breathed whimsically, looking outside to the night sky. They were all in Darien's apartment, sitting in the living room. It had been a hectic day. With the help of Luna and Artemis, all four of the guys were now official Japanese citizens, attending their second year in the same college Darien attended.

"They're throwing Serena an early birthday party." Darien told them. He was looking through the mail that had piled in his box, frowning at the bills, throwing out old magazines and credit card offers.

"Oh, I see. So they rented the strippers already?" Jadeite asked in innocence. Darien's head whipped around, with an incredulous expression on his face. The mail slipped from his hand, scattering on the floor.

"What?" He barked swiftly walking to the kitchen chair Jadeite was sitting in. Jadeite tensed all of the sudden. Anger was rolling off of his Prince in tides.

"What _are_ strippers anyways?" Kunzite asked, and Darien ran to the doorway, grabbing his shoes.

"Lets go, I'll explain it on the way. Damn them! I'm going to kill your girlfriends!" He yelled, and yanked the door open, letting it slam harshly against the wall. The guys exchanged looks and ran after him.

"Wait Darien! What are strippers!" Zoicite called after him.

XOXO

The girls all settled on the carpet in the sitting room of the suite they booked, eating the birthday cake whole, each with their own fork.

"So, when we get done here we got a big surprise for you." Raye said, and popped a finger in her mouth. Serena's fork froze halfway to her mouth. There was something in the way Raye was looking that she grew thoughtful, but very on guard.

"Really?" She asked slowly and popped the cake in her mouth, chewing and regarding each of her friends warily. The phone rang and Ami left them to answer it.

"Yes. Really." Mina purred and sucked a dab of frosting off her thumb. She saw Lita and Raye exchange glances. Serena was very curious now and she let her telepathy roam over each of her scouts minds. But their thoughts were securely locked from her. They must have felt her thoughts because they smiled and finished eating the cake. No sooner did Lita put the plate away did someone harshly bang on the door.

"Your present is here!" Raye exclaimed and the scouts all gathered around Serena. Lita covered her eyes.

"Hey…" Serena began to complain but Mina put another hand over her mouth.

"Welcome. Took you long enough…" Raye said.

XOXO

"Wait Darien! Wait for us!" Zoicite cried out to his Prince who was stalking to the door. They had arrived at the hotel in an hour and a half. The Prince had told them on the way what strippers were. His thoughts were turbulent with anger and jealously. His guards remained silent.

They had parked in an empty handicap place and Darien jerked his shifter into park and yanked the keys out. He quickly got out, slamming the door and stalked into the lobby with his guards right on his tail. The night clerk greeted him and he demanded to know what room the girls were. Her friendly smile wobbled and she picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Yes, there is someone here who wants to see you, should I let him…" Darien impatiently grabbed the phone from her.

"Who is this?" He barked. He heard someone laugh on the other phone.

"Room 612." She said and hung up before he could identify which girl he was talking to. He handed the phone back to the upset clerk and he and his guards were in the elevator. When they reached their desired floor, he walked swiftly to the end of the hallway and banged on the door. There was shuffling from inside and they Raye opened the door and smiled brightly.

"Welcome. Took you long enough." Her gaze went passed Darien to Jadeite and his guards. "He's so predictable isn't he?" She asked and shut the door behind her.

"Raye?" Darien heard Serena's voice before the door closed.

"Was this a set-up or something?" Darien asked, confused. There were no strippers that he could see. Just Raye and his grinning guards.

"That was our original plan. We had booked four pretty hot guys." Raye began and then stopped when Darien's eyes darken. "But we changed our minds." She said hastily. "She's been really depressed since you had left." Darien felt guilt swamp him. After the battle, when he knew it was over, so many things were left to do. Summer was coming to an end and his fall classes were going to begin and he didn't even get any of his books yet. He hand told her what he had to do, and she seemed to understand. But then again, Serena wasn't one to voice what she was really thinking. She was always concerned about everyone else. "We want you to be her present." Raye said and opened the door back up. Darien anxiously peered over Raye's head and saw Serena waiting patiently with Lita's hands over her eyes and Mina's hand over her mouth. He quickly blocked her telepathy.

"Okay Lita." Raye said and Lita lifted her hands and Serena blinked open her eyes. Her uncertainty was replaced by delight when she saw him. She stood silently as her friends backed away from her. Darien's anger slipped away and he offered her a smile.

"Happy Birthday Princess." He told her softly, giving her a light, lingering kiss on the mouth.

XOXO

In the middle of the night, a storm had moved in. The winds tore restlessly at the beach house and the rain was falling loudly on the roof. Everyone in the house was asleep except for one person. All her life she had been afraid of storms and thunder. So much so that when one was blowing through town, she would hide under layers of blankets in fetal position and sing quietly to herself until it passed. But tonight, she did none of those things. She was actually outside on the deck swing with her eyes closed, listening to the steady rhythm of the rain. Damp air washed over her face and the mist damped her feet. She wasn't so scared anymore. She had woken up, snuggled close to Darien. After she had returned from the hotel after a pretty good birthday she thought a little wickedly. She was so exhausted that, Darien had to carry her half way back home. He tried to make light of the situation by telling her how heavy she was and she, along with the rest of the party followed his lead. It was the first time they had come together again.

When they had returned back from the last battle, she had kept a hard secret with her and they all knew. Especially Ami with her little computer. She knew that the readings she read were real and yet somehow she was alive; there with them. She could tell they knew she wasn't telling them something. But they hadn't pressed her for the details and she was eternally grateful for that.

After that final battle, she knew she over did it. The crystal stole every ounce of strength form her, it was a miracle she still stood to watch Beryl disintegrate into moon dust. But as she fell to the ground, she kept falling, and falling in a never-ending abyss of light. She didn't know death was like blinking. One moment she was alive, the next she was watching Darien call Ami a liar when she read her little computer and found no signs of life.

They say death is a glorious place where you finally felt free and your life was complete. And she did feel that way at first. But then, she realized that she would never be with her friends again and she would never be held in Darien's arms again, or listen to Sammy being a menace, or be locked out of the house when her mom found out about her bad grades and all those first feeling floated out the window and she began to cry. She wanted to live damnit! She wanted her life back, she didn't want to die! At that point she had never felt so lost and scared and bitter at God before. And then, when she thought all hope was lost, her mother appeared before her.

"Serenity, daughter, you're not happy?" Her mother asked her. Serena felt tears course down her cheek as she shook her head 'no' wildly. Her mother sighed and knelt in front of her, brushing her tears away. "But you saved them, you saved mankind."

Serena sniffed. "But I'm dead. I don't want to be dead. I want to be with them." She motioned below her at the scouts running after Darien. "I want my life back, I want my room back. I want to go to school and to the arcade. I want to tell all my friends that I loved them, I want to tell Darien…" She stopped herself quickly, suddenly gasping at her next words. "I want him to know that I love him." She breathed and looked back down at him with new tears of despair. "I want him mother, I want him." She sobbed and leaned into her mother for comfort, knowing she would never get her wish. God, she hated death! She wanted life! Life!

After a good hour of crying and feeling sorry for herself, her mother spoke. "You've grown so much since all this has happened Serenity. I've never been more proud of you." Serena sat up and looked at her mother, standing above her, no longer holding her.

She sniffed. "Everything had happened so fast. First with the guards coming back." She sighed. "Why did they come back mother?" She asked. The spirit Queen stood.

"I have a lot to tell you, don't I?" She asked her. Serena bit her lip. There were still some missing pieces to the puzzle. Serena let the silence stretch. Her mother seemed to be contemplating what to tell her.

"Tell me." She finally said and paused. "All of it." Queen Serenity took a deep breath.

"When the Earth royalty came to visit us, things…things were not so well between us." She looked thoughtfully at an orb that had floated around them. "Earth wasn't part of the Silver Alliance. I suppose the council labeled them a rouge planet, because no matter what we did, or what we offered them, the King wouldn't have any of it. It was at that time when Queen Beryl had appeared. We knew nothing of her or her politics, and we wouldn't have even let her into the council chambers if it wasn't for the King of Earth. He was the one who presented her to us.

"When I first met her, I sensed such darkness around her. The others must have felt it also, because the council wouldn't let her speak. This offended the King of Earth, and it pushed him farther away from us. I didn't know it at the time, but the King was under a spell. When I learned this, I knew that Beryl was a threat, The King of Earth wasn't weak, and to hold him in her power showed me amazing magic. I feared for the Alliance. I feared for you." She sighed.

"We didn't have contact with Earth until Prince Endymion took his father's place. I was glad when I first met him because he seemed a lot stronger that his father. A lot more open to the idea of joining the Alliance. And the council agreed with me and let him and his guards come to the Alliance. That's where you met him." Queen Serenity shared a secret look with Serena and for some reason, Serena blushed under the look.

"Don't think I didn't know about you affair with the Palace guards. But it didn't bother me much. I saw the way you and Endymion clashed the first time I introduced you. Even though he was a guest, things between Earth and Moon were still tense with Beryl in the picture, and I was glad you didn't get along. Because if things didn't work out I didn't have to worry about hurt feeling. I was totally oblivious to the feelings you started developing. Late one night, as I sat in my room she appeared." Her voice got quiet.

"Beryl?" Serena asked and her mother nodded.

"She showed me." She said sadly. "She showed me what I had dreaded the most. You and Endymion together."

Guilt swamped Serena. At that time, she knew that Endymion was forbidden to her. Maybe that's what attracted her to him at the beginning. Having something that was denied to her. When they began the tryst, she didn't think about the repercussions of her mother's reign if anyone found out. She selfishly indulged in the affair.

"I'm sorry mother." Serena mumbled miserably and hung her head in shame. Tears began to form when she thought of the internal battle her mother must have had to fight because of her self-centeredness.

"No Serenity. I know what you're thinking. And I didn't think about that. All I thought about was your safety. I would have dealt with the council if it came to that. I was angry that Beryl would even consider blackmailing me into giving her control of the Alliance or the Silver Crystal. She told me if I didn't, she would show the council the image orb of you and Endymion together. But I played along with her. I acted like I was going to do what she said. And that night, when the Moon was attacked, when we were in the cave…"

"She was watching you?" Serena asked in a concerned voice, thinking back to that night. That explained why he mother was acting so strangely. Queen Serenity nodded solemnly, her light purple eyes, dark with her memories.

"I had to act like I was getting the crystal from you. But then you told me you married. I-I didn't know what to do. I didn't want you or Endymion harmed by her, and I knew that when she heard about the marriage, she would begin her attack regardless of whatever deal we had made. I wanted to save you. I knew we were out numbered, I knew the battle was hopeless. But I had to know that you, Endymion and the girls were safe, whatever happened. But you did it for me Serenity. When you cast your spell, I knew that you would be alright." She finished. "You've done everything right my daughter." Tears swam in her eyes and she knelt in front of her. "And now, I'll do something right. I'm going to save you like I planned to do so many years ago." Serena closed her eyes as her mother brushed a loving kiss across her brow. "Go back Serena. Back to your friends, back to your husband." She whispered.

"Go back?" She asked, feeling sleepy all of the sudden.

"Yes, go, and live, and love. I'll be watching…" And then she had woken up in Darien's arms. Back in the snow, back in the world…

"So that's what happened." Serena jumped at the voice. Darien had been behind her, and he had been reading her thoughts!

"Someday, I'm going to learn to block them from you so you can't eavesdrop all the time." She snapped at him and moodily swung in the deck-swing. She felt him hesitate, but he overcame it quickly and sat beside her, making her jerk back as he stopped the swing. She ignored him, and stared steadily at the misty rain.

"You were really dead?" He asked her softly. She heard the pain in his voice and tears burned her eyes. She really did die, and she chose to come back to live in this hurtful world, all because of him. She didn't respond, because she knew that he was reading her thoughts. And she prayed that he wouldn't make fun of her feelings.

"How could you think I could ever do something like that?" He asked her in an irritated voice, and bucked his legs back to stop the swing. She slipped a little on the seat and closed her eyes.

"It's strange really." She spoke softly to him, bringing her legs up and resting her chin on her knees. "Two months ago, I could never imagine us being here." She told him, and turned to lay her warm cheek on her knee, gazing out to the water as the rain, now a soft drizzle, began to disappear.

Darien was silent, staring at her thoughtfully. He couldn't see her face, and for some reason as she reminisced, he couldn't read her thoughts. It was sort of depressing, not to hear them. Not to know what she was thinking.

"I wonder what Andrew would think if he saw us here right now." He said with a touch of humor, imagining his friend staring at them tensely, wondering when they would start an insult duel. What he would say if he knew the summer they had together, how close they have become? Ho much he cared for her now.

"He'd freak out." Serena muttered. She was probably right he thought. They sat in silence as the sun's rays peeked over the ocean water.

"I'm glad." He finally said and Serena lifted her head from her knees and stared steadily at him. "I'm glad you came back to me." He told her softly and pulled her into his arms. She rested on his chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat. "If you didn't come back, I couldn't tell you how important you are to me." Serena tensed, and closed her eyes. Let him say it first, please…she thought to herself.

"I am pretty important." She murmured, wanting a little humor in the moment. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"I know." He said and there was another long pause.

"You're important to me too." Serena said and sighed softly, nuzzling her face in his white tee-shirt.

"I am pretty important." He said smartly and Serena smiled. There was another long pause.

"DAMN IT! Say it already!" Suddenly, Mina and Zoicite spilled through the porch door, clearly exasperated with them. Serena and Darien frowned at one another, and then settled back to the way they were before the rude interruption on their privacy. They swung together in silence. Mina and Zoicite groaned and left them, muttering something about them being cowards and such. Serena just smiled.

_: I love you Prick :_ Darien smiled and kissed her head again.

_: I love you too Meatball Head :_

XOXO

The End

XOXO

AN: Love you all for the wonderful feedback and your unlimited patience! Couldn't have finished this one without all of my lovely readers. Review! Kisses _muh_!


End file.
